List of Abunas of Ethiopia - Patriarch Catholicoi of All Ethiopia, Since 1959

Patriarch Catholicoi of All Ethiopia, Since 1959

• Basilios (1959–1970)
• Theophilos (1971–1976), executed in 1979
• Takla Haymanot (1976–1988)
• Merkorios (1988–1991), Abuna until the EPRDF's triumph over the Derg in Addis Ababa;
  • (Abdicated, and lives in the United States with his followers claiming that he was forced to leave)
• Paulos (1991–2012)

In 1959, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria granted autocephaly to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and elevated the Archbishop to the Patriarchal dignity and was enthroned with the title of: Patriarch and Re'ese Liqane Papasat Echege (Catholicos) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The title of Ichege (Supreme Abbot) of the See of St. Tekle Haimanot of Debre Libanos was subsumed into the Patriarchate. The title of Ichege was revived and the title of Archbishop of Axum was added to the Patriarchal titles in 2005, as Axum was the seat of Ethiopia's first Bishop, and the thus the oldest see in the church.