Part of the series on Christianity

History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament. ... Image File history File links Christian_cross. ... This article outlines the history of Christianity and provides links to relevant topics. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth; for other uses, see Jesus (disambiguation). ... The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek απόστολος apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles... In Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, an ecumenical council or general council is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. ... Great Schism redirects here. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which emerged in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church in Western Europe. ...

The Trinity of God God the Father Christ the Son The Holy Spirit Within Christianity, the doctrine of the Trinity states that God is a single Being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a communion of three persons (personae, prosopa): Father (the Source, the Eternal Majesty); the Son (the eternal Logos or Word, incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth); and the Holy Spirit. ... In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... This page is about the title, for the Christian figure, see Jesus Christ is the English representation of the Greek word Χριστός The Christian religion takes its name from Christ, as a title given to Jesus of Nazareth, always capitalized as a singularly descriptive title meaning literally The Anointed One. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Christian theology Christian Church Christian worship Grace Salvation Sermon on the Mount The Ten Commandments Christian theology practices theology from a Christian viewpoint or studies Christianity theologically. ... In Christian theology, One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is a phrase describing the nature of the Christian community and/or Christian Church, in the various meanings it has. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Divine grace is believed by Christians to be the sovereign favor of God exercised in the bestowment of blessings upon those who have no merit in them. ... Salvation refers to deliverance from an undesirable state or condition. ... The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch. ... This article is about the list of religious and moral imperatives. ...

The Christian Bible Old Testament New Testament Apocrypha The Bible (Hebrew תנ״ך [tanakh], Greek η Βίβλος [hē biblos] ) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Good Book, Word of God, The Word, or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the classical name for the Hebrew Bible of Judaism or the combination of the Old Testament and New Testament of Christianity... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh, but not Old Testament, because it does not recognize the concept of a New Testament. ... See New Covenant for the concept translated as New Testament in the KJV. The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, and, in recent times, also New Covenant, is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... Apocrypha is a Greek word (απόκρυφα, neuter plural of απόκρυφος), from αποκρυπτειν, to hide away. ...

Christian denominations Catholicism Orthodox Christianity Protestantism A denomination, in the Christian sense of the word, is an identifiable religious body, organization under a common name, structure, and/or doctrine. ... This article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. ... Orthodox Christianity is a generalized reference to the Eastern traditions of Christianity, as opposed to the Western traditions which descend from the Catholic Church. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a splitting away from the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... Christian movements Christian movements are theological, political, or philosophical intepretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church, sect, or denomination. ...

This Ethiopian icon shows St. George, the Crucifixion, and the Virgin Mary.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (in Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋሕዶ ቤተክርስትያን Yäityop'ya ortodoks täwahedo bétäkrestyan) is an Oriental Orthodox church in Ethiopia that was part of the Coptic Church until 1959, when it was granted its own Patriarch by Coptic Pope Cyril VI. The only pre-colonial Christian church of Sub-Saharan Africa, it claims a membership of close to 36 million people worldwide, and is thus the largest of all Oriental Orthodox churches. Download high resolution version (645x945, 141 KB)Image of a Ethiopian Icon showing St. ... Download high resolution version (645x945, 141 KB)Image of a Ethiopian Icon showing St. ... The Savior (1410s, by Andrei Rublev) For other senses of this word, see icon (disambiguation). ... Saint-George is a municipality with 695 inhabitants (as of 2003) in the district of Aubonne in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. ... Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, where the victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross (Latin: crux) and left to hang there until dead. ... Saint Mary and Saint Mary the Virgin both redirect here. ... Amharic (አማርኛ) is a Semitic language spoken in Northern Central Ethiopia, where it is the official language. ... The term Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keep the faith of only the first three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus — and rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon. ... Jesus Christ in a Coptic icon. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ... The Coptic Orthodox Church is a member of the Oriental Orthodox churches, not to be mistaken with the Eastern Orthodox group of churches. ... St Kyrellos VI, 116th Pope of Alexandria: A man of prayer, who held daily masses and had his door open to everyone His Holiness Pope Cyril (Kyrellos) VI of Alexandria, born Azer Ioseph Atta (August 2, 1902 – March 9, 1971), was Coptic Orthodox Pope from 1959 to 1971. ... World map of colonialism at the end of the Second World War in 1945. ... A satellite composite image of Africa showing the ecological break between North and Sub-Saharan regions Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa south of the Sahara, is the term used to describe those countries of Africa that are not considered part of North Africa or some areas of West Africa. ...

Origins

Tewahido is a Ge'ez word meaning "being made one"; it is related to the Arabic word توحيد tawhid, meaning "monotheism". This refers to the Oriental Orthodox belief in the one single unique Nature of Christ (a complete union of the Divine and Human Natures), as opposed to the "two Natures of Christ" belief (unmixed Divine and Human Natures, called the Hypostatic Union) held by today's Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the Henoticon [1]: the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, and many others, all refused to accept the "two natures" doctrine decreed by the Byzantine Emperor Marcian's Council of Chalcedon in 451, thus separating them from the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox, who themselves separated following the East-West Schism. The Oriental Orthodox Churches, which today include the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Malankara Orthodox Church of India, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, are referred to as "Non-Chalcedonian", and, sometimes by outsiders as "monophysite" (meaning "One Nature", in reference to Christ; a rough translation of the name Tewahido). However, these Churches themselves describe their Christology as miaphysite. Geez (also spelt Giiz, translitered Gə‘əz, and pronounced ) is an ancient language that developed in the Ethiopian Highlands of the Horn of Africa as the language of the peasantry. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Tawhid (توحيد), meaning declaring God one, is the Islamic concept of monotheism. ... The term Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keep the faith of only the first three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus — and rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon. ... Christology is that part of Christian theology that studies and defines who Jesus the Christ was and is. ... The hypostatic union (also known as the mystical union), in Christian theology, refers to the dual nature of Jesus Christ as being simultaneously God and Man. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... The Catholic Encyclopedia (also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia today) is an English-language encyclopedia published in 1913 by the The Encyclopedia Press, designed to give authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine. // History The writing of the encyclopedia began on January 11... The Henotikon (the act of union) was issued by Byzantine emperor Zeno I in 482, in an attempt to reconcile the differences between the supporters of Orthodoxy and Monophysitism. ... Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ... Antiquity and modernity stand cheek-by-jowl in Egypts chief Mediterranean seaport Located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, Alexandria Αλεξάνδρεια (in Arabic, الإسكندرية, transliterated al-ʼIskandariyyah) is the chief seaport in Egypt, and that countrys second largest city, and the capital of the Al Iskandariyah governate. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Jerusalem (31°46′N 35°14′E; Hebrew: (help· info) Yerushalayim; Arabic: (help· info) al-Quds) is an ancient Middle Eastern city on the watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea at an elevation of 650-840 meter. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Another but lesser Marcian was a son-in-law of Byzantine Emperor Leo I and his queen Verina. ... The Council of Chalcedon was an ecumenical council that took place from October 8–November 1, 451 at Chalcedon, a city of Bithynia in Asia Minor. ... Events April 7 - The Huns sack Metz June 20 - Attila, king of the Huns is defeated at Troyes by Aetius in the Battle of Chalons. ... Great Schism redirects here. ... Christ - Coptic Art Coptic Orthodox Christianity is the indigenous form of Christianity that, according to tradition, the apostle Mark established in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century AD (approximately AD 60). ... Official standard of Catholicos Garegin II of Armenia The Armenian Apostolic Church, sometimes incorrectly called the Armenian Orthodox Church or the Gregorian Church is the worlds oldest national church and one of the original churches. ... The Syriac Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Middle East with members spread throughout the world. ... The Indian Orthodox Church (also known as Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East), is a prominent member of the Oriental Orthodox Church family. ... The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches. ... Monophysitism (from the Greek monos meaning one and physis meaning nature) is the christological position that Christ has only one nature, as opposed to the Chalcedonian position which holds that Christ has two natures, one divine and one human. ... Monophysitism (from the Greek monos meaning one and physis meaning nature) is the christological position that Christ has only one nature, as opposed to the Chalcedonian position which holds that Christ has two natures, one divine and one human. ...

The Ethiopian Church claims its origins from Philip the Evangelist (Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 8). It became the established church of the Ethiopian Axumite Kingdom under king Ezana in the 4th century through the efforts of Frumentius, known in Ethiopia as Abune Selama, Kesaté Birhan ("Our Father of Peace, Revealer of Light"). As a boy, Frumentius had been shipwrecked with his brother Aedesius in Ethiopia. The brothers managed to be brought to the royal court, where they rose to positions of influence and converted Emperor Ezana to Christianity. Ezana sent Frumentius to Alexandria to ask the Patriarch, St. Athanasius, to appoint a bishop for Ethiopia. Athanasius appointed Frumentius himself, who returned to Ethiopia as Bishop with the name of Abune Selama. For centuries afterward, the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria always named a Copt (an Egyptian) to be Abuna or Archbishop of the Ethiopian Church. Philip the Evangelist appears several times in the Acts of the Apostles but should not be confused with Philip the Apostle. ... The Acts of the Apostles (Greek Praxeis Apostolon) is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. ... In English history, the Established Church is the Church of England, the church which is established by the Government, supported by it, and of which the monarch is the titular head; until 1920 it also held the same position in Wales. ... The Axumite Kingdom, also known as the Aksum Kingdom, was an important trading nation in northeastern Africa, growing from circa the 5th century BC to become an important trading nation by the 1st century AD. It converted to Christianity in 325 or 328 (various sources). ... Ezana of Axum was ruler of the Axumite Kingdom from about 320 to 350 AD. Ezana succeeded his father Ella Amida while still a youth and his mother, Sofya served as regent. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... Frumentius (died c. ... Antiquity and modernity stand cheek-by-jowl in Egypts chief Mediterranean seaport Located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, Alexandria Αλεξάνδρεια (in Arabic, الإسكندرية, transliterated al-ʼIskandariyyah) is the chief seaport in Egypt, and that countrys second largest city, and the capital of the Al Iskandariyah governate. ... Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ... Athanasius of Alexandria (also spelled Athanasios) was a Christian bishop of Alexandria in the fourth century. ... The Coptic Orthodox Church is a member of the Oriental Orthodox churches, not to be mistaken with the Eastern Orthodox group of churches. ... In modern English usage, the word Copt refers to Christian natives of Egypt, in particular members of the Coptic Orthodox Church. ... Abuna is the title of the metropolitan bishop or head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. ...

Jesuit interim: 1500 – 1633

Little else is known of church history down to the period of Jesuit rule, which broke the connection with Egypt 1500 - 1633. Union with the Coptic Church continued after the Arab conquest in Egypt. It has been suggested that Brothers of the Society of Jesus be merged into this article or section. ... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 13 - Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition. ... Christ - Coptic Art Coptic Orthodox Christianity is the indigenous form of Christianity that, according to tradition, the apostle Mark established in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century AD (approximately AD 60). ...

Abu Saleh records in the 12th century that the patriarch always sent letters twice a year to the kings of Abyssinia and Nubia, until Al Hakim stopped the practice. Cyril, 67th patriarch, sent Severus as bishop, with orders to put down polygamy and to enforce observance of canonical consecration for all churches. These examples show the close relations of the two churches concurrent with the Middle Ages. But early in the 16th century the church was brought under the influence of a Portuguese mission. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Today Nubia is the region in the south of Egypt, along the Nile and in northern Sudan, but in ancient times it was an independent kingdom. ... The term polygamy (literally many marriages in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...

In 1439, in the reign of Zara Yaqob, a religious discussion between Abba Giorgis and a French visitor had led to the dispatch of an embassy from Abyssinia to the Vatican; but the initiative in the Roman Catholic missions to Abyssinia was taken, not by Rome, but by Portugal, as an incident in the struggle with the Muslim Ottoman Empire and Sultanate of Adal for the command of the trade route to India by the Red Sea. Events Battle of Grotnik, which ended the hussite movement in Poland Eric of Pomerania, King of Sweden, Denmark and Norway is declared deposed in Sweden. ... Zara Yaqob (throne name Kuestantinos I or Constantine I) (1399 - 1468) was negus (1434 - 1468) of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonid dynasty. ... The Roman Catholic Church (also known as the Catholic Church) is that Christian Church which is led by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) (sometimes also spelled Moslem) is an adherent of Islam. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Bursa (1335-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), İstanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40... This article is about the African sultanate. ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea (Arabic البحر الأحمر al-Bahr al-Ahmar; Hebrew ים סוף Yam Suf; Tigrigna ቀይሕ ባሕሪ QeyH baHri) is a gulf or basin of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ...

In 1507 Matthew, or Matheus, an Armenian, had been sent as Ethiopian envoy to Portugal to ask aid against Adal. In 1520 an embassy under Dom Rodrigo de Lima landed in Abyssinia (by which time Adal had been remobilized under Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi). An interesting account of the Portuguese mission, which remained for several years, was written by Francisco Alvarez, the chaplain. 1507 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the African sultanate. ... This article is about the African sultanate. ... Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi (c. ... Francisco Alvarez (1465?-1541?) was a Portuguese missionary and explorer. ...

Later, Ignatius Loyola wished to essay the task of conversion, but was forbidden. Instead, the pope sent out Joao Nunez Barreto as patriarch of the East Indies, with Andre de Oviedo as bishop; and from Goa envoys went to Abyssinia, followed by Oviedo himself, to secure the king's adherence to Rome. After repeated failures some measure of success was achieved, but not until 1604 did the king make formal submission to the pope. Then the people rebelled and the king was slain. Fresh Jesuit victories were followed sooner or later by fresh revolt, and Roman rule hardly triumphed when once for all it was overthrown. In 1633 the Jesuits were expelled and allegiance to Alexandria resumed. Ignatius of Loyola Saint Ignatius of Loyola (December 24, 1491? – July 31, 1556), baptized Íñigo López de Loyola, was the founder of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order commonly known as the Jesuits that was established to strengthen the Church, initially against Protestantism. ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the successor of St. ... For other uses, see Goa (disambiguation). ... Events January 14 – Hampton Court conference with James I of England, the Anglican bishops and representatives of Puritans September 20 – Capture of Ostend by Spanish forces under Ambrosio Spinola after a three year siege. ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the successor of St. ... Events February 13 - Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition. ...

Recent history

The Coptic and Ethiopian Churches reached an agreement on 13 July 1948 that led to autocephaly for the Ethiopian Church. Five bishops were immediately consecrated by the Patriarch of Alexandria, empowered to elect a new Patriarch for their church, and the successor to Abuna Qerellos IV would have the power to consecrate new bishops. This promotion was completed when Coptic Pope Yosab of Alexandria consecrated an Ethiopian-born Archbishop, Abuna Baslios, 14 January 1951. Then in 1959, Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria crowned Abuna Baslios as the first Patriarch of Ethiopia. July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... In hierarchical Christian churches, especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, autocephaly is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... The Patriarch of Alexandria is the bishop of Alexandria, Egypt. ... His Holiness Joseph II was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... St Kyrellos VI, 116th Pope of Alexandria: A man of prayer, who held daily masses and had his door open to everyone His Holiness Pope Cyril (Kyrellos) VI of Alexandria, born Azer Ioseph Atta (August 2, 1902 – March 9, 1971), was Coptic Orthodox Pope from 1959 to 1971. ...

Ethiopian priest with processional cross

Patriarch Abune Baslios died in 1971, and was succeeded that year by Patriarch Abune Tewophilos. With the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church was disestablished as the state church. Patriarch Abune Tewophilos was arrested in 1976 by the Marxist Derg military junta, and secretly executed later that year. The government ordered the church to elect a new Patriarch, and Abune Tekle Haymanot was enthroned. The Coptic Church refused to recognize the election and enthronement of Abune Tekle Haimanot on the grounds that the Synod of the Ethiopian Church had not removed Abune Tewophilos and that the government had not publicly acknowledged his death, and he was thus still legitimate Patriarch of Ethiopia. Formal relations between the two churches were severed, although they remained in communion with each other. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 170 KB) Summary Priest with processional cross. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 170 KB) Summary Priest with processional cross. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... Abune Tewophilos, Second Patriarch of Ethiopia This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Haile Selassie Haile Selassie (Power of Trinity) (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the last Emperor (1930–1936; 1941–1974) of Ethiopia, and is a religious symbol in the Rastafarian movement. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV in Roman) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... See also civil religion. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Christ - Coptic Art Coptic Orthodox Christianity is the indigenous form of Christianity that, according to tradition, the apostle Mark established in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century AD (approximately AD 60). ... A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. ...

Patriarch Abune Tekle Haymanot proved to be much less accommodating to the Derg regime than it had expected, and so when the Patriarch died in 1988, a new Patriarch with closer ties to the regime was sought. The Archbishop of Gondar, a member of the Derg-era Ethiopian Parliament, was elected and enthroned as Patriarch Abune Merkorios. Following the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, and the coming to power of the EPRDF government, Patriarch Abune Merkorios abdicated under public and governmental pressure. The church then elected a new Patriarch, Abune Paulos. The former Patriarch Abune Merkorios then fled abroad, and announced from exile that his abdication had been made under duress and thus he was still the legitimate Patriarch of Ethiopia. Several bishops also went into exile and formed a break-away alternate synod. This exiled synod is recognized by some Ethiopian Churches in North America and Europe who recognize Patriarch Abune Merkorios, while the synod inside Ethiopia continues to uphold the legitimacy of Patriarch Abune Paulos. Gondar (less commonly spelled Gonder) was the old imperial capital of Ethiopia and the historic Begemder province, now part of the Amhara region. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front, or EPRDF, is the ruling political party of Ethiopia. ... Abune Paulos, Fifth Patriarch of Ethiopia Abune Paulos (born Gebre Igziabiher Wolde Yohannes 1935) is Abuna and Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (1992 - ). His full title is His Holiness Abune Paulos, Fifth Patriarch and Catholicos (re-ese Liqane Papasat) of Ethiopia, Echege of the See of St. ...

After Eritrea became an independent country, the Coptic Orthodox Church granted autocephaly to the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church with the reluctant approval of its mother synod, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. In hierarchical Christian churches, especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, autocephaly is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. ... The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches. ...

As of 2005, there are many Ethiopian Orthodox churches located throughout the United States and other countries to which Ethiopians have migrated. There are about 37 million Ethiopian Orthodox members, or half the population, within the country. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Distinctive traits

Biblical canon

The Canon of the Tewahedo Church is looser than for most other traditional Christian groups. The Ethiopian "narrow" Old Testament Canon includes the books found in the Septuagint accepted by the Orthodox plus Enoch, Jubilees, 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras, 3 Maccabees, and Psalm 151. However, their three books of the Maccabees are identical in title only, and quite different in content from those of the other Christian churches which include them. The order of the other books is somewhat different from other groups', as well. This Church also has a "broader canon" that includes more books. See this webpage for much more detailed information on the Ethiopian Canon. The Septuagint (LXX) is the name commonly given in the West to the Koine Greek Alexandrine text of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament) produced some time between the third to first century BC. The Septuagint Bible includes additional books of the old Jewish canon beyond those contained in the... The Book of Enoch refers to several ancient works attributed to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. ... The Book of Jubilees expands and reworks material found in Genesis to Exodus 15. ... 1 Esdras is a deuterocanonical book accepted by most Orthodox Christians, but rejected as apocryphal by Jews, Catholics, and Protestants. ... 2 Esdras is a Jewish Christian apocalypse written toward the end of the first century AD. It is not accepted as scriptural by most Christians; therefore, they count it among the apocrypha. ... The Biblical book 3 Maccabees is found in most Orthodox Bibles as a part of the deuterocanonical books. ... Psalm 151 is the name given colloquially to a short psalm which is found in most copies of the Septuagint but not in the Masoretic text. ...

Language

The divine services of the Ethiopian Church are celebrated in the Ge'ez language, which has been the language of the Church at least since the arrival of the Nine Saints (Abba Pantelewon, Abba Gerima (Issac, or Yeshaq), Abba Aftse, Abba Guba, Abba Alef, Abba Yem’ata, Abba Liqanos, and Abba Sehma), who fled prosecution after the council of Chalcedon. The Septuagint version was translated into Ge'ez. Sermons are delivered in the local language. Geez (also spelt Giiz, translitered Gə‘əz, and pronounced ) is an ancient language that developed in the Ethiopian Highlands of the Horn of Africa as the language of the peasantry. ... The Nine Saints were a group of missionaries who were important in the spread of Christianity in what is now Eritrea and Ethiopia during the late 5th century. ... The Septuagint (LXX) is the name commonly given in the West to the Koine Greek Alexandrine text of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh/Old Testament) produced some time between the third to first century BC. The Septuagint Bible includes additional books of the old Jewish canon beyond those contained in the... A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. ...

Architecture

The Church of St. George is a monolithic church in Lalibela.

There are many monolithic churches in Ethiopia, most famously the twelve churches at Lalibela. After these, two main types of architecture are found -- one basilican, the other native. The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion at Axum is basilican, though the early basilicas are nearly all in ruin; e.g., that at Adulis (now in Eritrea) and that of Martula Mariam in Gojam, rebuilt in the 16th century on the ancient foundations. These examples show the influence of those architects who, in the 6th century, built the basilicas at Sanaá and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. There are two forms of native churches -- one square or oblong, traditionally found in Tigray; the other circular, traditionally found in Amhara and Shewa (though either style may be found elsewhere). The square type may be due to basilican influence, the circular is an adaptation of the native hut. In both forms, the sanctuary is square and stands clear in the center, and the arrangements are based on Jewish tradition. Walls and ceilings are adorned with frescoes. A courtyard, circular or rectangular, surrounds the body of the church. Modern Ethiopian churches may incorporate the basilican or native styles, and utilize contemporary construction techniques and materials. In rural areas, the church and outer court are often thatched, with mud-built walls. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 269 KB) by Giustino Taken on August 20, 2005 from http://flickr. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 269 KB) by Giustino Taken on August 20, 2005 from http://flickr. ... Church of St. ... Church of St. ... Lalibela is a city in the Amhara ethnic division, or kilil, of Ethiopia. ... Church of St. ... Lalibela is a city in the Amhara ethnic division, or kilil, of Ethiopia. ... The Basilica of Saint Peter is the largest church in Christianity and often used by the Pope. ... The Chapel of the Tablet The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion (“Igzi’itne Maryam S’iyon Yeityopiya Ortodoks Baytekristiyan” in the languages of Ethiopia) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the most important and one of the oldest churches of Ethiopia. ... Adulis is an archeological site in Eritrea, about 30 miles south of Massawa. ... Gojjam, or Gojam, was a province in the north-eastern part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debra Markos. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... Sana (Arabic: , romanized as , and also known as Sanaa or Sanaa), population 1,747,627 (2004 census), is the capital of Yemen and the center of Sana Governorate. ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia consisting mainly of desert. ... Map of Ethiopia highlighting the Tigray region. ... Amhara (አማራ) may refer to: Amhara, an ethnic group of Ethiopia. ... Shewa (also spelled Shoa) is a historical region of Ethiopia. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, with around 14 million followers (as of 2005 [1]). It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths, second only to Zoroasterism, and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. ... A XIV Century fresco featuring Saint Sebastian Note: Fresco is the NATO reporting name of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. ... A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. ... Thatching is the art or craft of covering a roof with vegetative materials such as straw, reed or sedge. ...

The Chapel of the Tablet at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion allegedly houses the original Ark of the Covenant.

Image File history File links Ark_of_the_Covenant_church_in_Axum_Ethiopia. ... Image File history File links Ark_of_the_Covenant_church_in_Axum_Ethiopia. ... The Chapel of the Tablet The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion (“Igzi’itne Maryam S’iyon Yeityopiya Ortodoks Baytekristiyan” in the languages of Ethiopia) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the most important and one of the oldest churches of Ethiopia. ... A late 19th-century artists conception of the Ark of the Covenant, employing a Renaissance cassone for the Ark and cherubim as latter-day Christian angels The Ark of the Covenant (ארון הברית in Hebrew: aron habrit) is described in the Hebrew Bible as a sacred container built at the command...

Ark of the Covenant

The Ethiopian church boasts the claim that one of its churches, Our Lady Mary of Zion, is host to the original Ark of the Covenant that Moses carried with the Israelites during the Exodus. However, outsiders (and women, be they insiders or not) are not allowed into the building where the Ark is located, ostensibly due to dangerous biblical warnings. As a result, international scholars doubt that the real Ark is truly there, although a case has been put forward by controversial popular writer Graham Hancock in his book The Sign and the Seal. The Chapel of the Tablet The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion (“Igzi’itne Maryam S’iyon Yeityopiya Ortodoks Baytekristiyan” in the languages of Ethiopia) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the most important and one of the oldest churches of Ethiopia. ... A late 19th-century artists conception of the Ark of the Covenant, employing a Renaissance cassone for the Ark and cherubim as latter-day Christian angels The Ark of the Covenant (ארון הברית in Hebrew: aron habrit) is described in the Hebrew Bible as a sacred container built at the command... Moses or Móshe (מֹשֶׁה, Standard Hebrew Móše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšeh, Arabic موسى Musa), son of Amram and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite. ... An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Biblical patriarch Jacob who was renamed Israel by God in the book of Genesis, 32:28 The Israelites were a group of Hebrews, as described in the Bible. ... Exodus is the second book of the Torah (the Pentateuch) and also the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible), and the Christian Old Testament. ... Graham Hancock Graham Hancock (born 1951) is a British writer and journalist. ...

Throughout Ethiopia, Orthodox churches are not considered churches until the local bishop gives them a tabot, a replica of the tablets in the original Ark of the Covenenant. The tabot is six inches (15 cm) square and made from alabaster, marble, or wood (see acacia). It is always kept in ornate coverings to hide it from public view. In an elaborate procession, the tabot is carried around the outside of the church amid joyful song and dance on the feast day of that particular church's namesake, and also on the great Feast of T'imk'et, known as Epiphany or Theophany in Europe. Tabot, sometimes tabout, is an Amharic word commonly referring to a replica of the Tablets of Law, onto which the Biblical Ten Commandments were inscribed, used in the practices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. ... The metre (Commonwealth English) or meter (American English) (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... Alabaster (sometimes called satin spar) is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals: gypsum (a hydrous sulfate of calcium) and the calcite (a carbonate of calcium). ... Marble For the glass spheres, see marbles. ... Species About 1,300; see List of Acacia species Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees of Gondwanian origin belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the Pea Family Fabaceae, first described from Africa by Linnaeus in 1773. ... This article is about the Christian feast. ...

Similarities to Judaism

The Ethiopian church places a heavier emphasis on Old Testament teachings than one might find in the Roman Catholic or Protestant churches, and its followers adhere to certain practices that one finds in Orthodox or Conservative Judaism. Ethiopian Christians traditionally follow dietary rules that are similar to Jewish Kashrut, specifically with regard to how an animal is slaughtered. Similarly, pork is prohibited, though unlike Kashrut, Ethiopian cuisine does mix dairy products with meat. Women are prohibited from entering the church during their menses, and, like married Orthodox Jewish women, are expected to cover their hair with a large scarf (or shash) while in church. As with Orthodox synagogues, men and women are seated separately in the Ethiopian church, with men on the left and women on the right (when facing the altar). However, covering the head and separation of the sexes in the Church building is common to many Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Christians and not unique to Judaism. Worshippers remove their shoes when entering a church, in accordance with Exodus 3:5 (in which Moses, while viewing the burning bush, is commanded to remove his shoes while standing on holy ground). Furthermore, both the Sabbath (Saturday), and the Lord's Day (Sunday) are observed as holy. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, with around 14 million followers (as of 2005 [1]). It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths, second only to Zoroasterism, and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. ... The circled U indicates that this product is certified as kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU). ... The menstrual cycle is the periodic change in a womans body that occurs every month between puberty and menopause and that relates to reproduction. ... A synagogue (Hebrew: בית כנסת ; beit knesset, house of assembly; Yiddish: שול, shul) is a Jewish place of religious worship. ... Exodus is the second book of the Torah (the Pentateuch) and also the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible), and the Christian Old Testament. ... Moses or Móshe (מֹשֶׁה, Standard Hebrew Móše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšeh, Arabic موسى Musa), son of Amram and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite. ... Burning bush at St. ...

External links

• Ethiopian Religions - Christianity, Islam, Judaism & Paganism
• Bilingual Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church site - English version (Sponsored by the Addis Ababa Synod and Patriarchate)
• Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (older site, low bandwidth, sponsored by Synod in Exile)
• Tewahedo Songs & Records
• About Saint TekleHaymanot the Ethiopian
• Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Switzerland
• Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Phoenix
• CNEWA article: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
• Ethiopian Churches in South Africa

This article is part of the Eastern Christianity Portal — Learn more about Eastern Christianity

Image File history File links Template:Public File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christian traditions which developed in Greece, the Balkans, the rest of Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and the Middle East over several centuries of religious antiquity. ...

References

• This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, a publication in the public domain.