Mekelle፡30 May 2024 (Tigray Herald)
The Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church lamented on Wednesday that the church was going through serious internal and external challenges. In an address at the opening of the annual general congress of the church’s Holy Synod in Addis Ababa, Abune Mathias reiterated that the myriad challenges had hindered the church from accomplishing its missions effectively. The desire for appointments and lust for money shown by the clergy are contributing to the erosion of the church’s acceptance, he pointed out. Several atrocities have occurred in the country and against the church, he said, adding that the trend might also continue. The Patriarch called on the Holy Synod to work towards reconciliation and forgiveness. In the past five years, the relationship between the church and the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been fraught with accusations and counter-accusations, with the former accusing the government of failing to protect its clergy and followers from attacks by armed groups. Earlier, the church also accused the government of sponsoring “illegal” splinter factions, who attempted to create a separate Synod in Oromia.
