Ethiopia: strong tensions within the Orthodox Church

Celebration of the Ethiopian Orthodox feast of Meskel, in September 2022 (photo illustration).

AFP - EDUARDO SOTERAS

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

In Ethiopia, a group of three archbishops and 25 bishops were excommunicated by the synod, the central religious authority.

They had tried to install priests in the Oromo language without the agreement of the hierarchy.

But these 28 religious decided not to let it go. 

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Orthodox Church

 on the brink of schism?

Since last year, Oromo religious have been asking for more inclusiveness for their language and their culture, with in particular the distribution of a Bible, the opening of a university or the organization of masses in the Oromo language.

But the central authority opposed it.

Eventually, three archbishops announced the creation of an Oromo Orthodox branch.

Thursday, January 25, they thus ordained 26 bishops in the center of the country.

harsh punishment

The synod, the supreme authority of the Ethiopian Orthodox, saw red and hit hard.

After an emergency meeting, Thursday's ordination session was declared illegal.

The three archbishops were excommunicated, as were 25 ordained bishops, the 26th having repented and apologized.

The 28 religious were stripped of their ranks, they will not receive any sacraments, even after their death.

Finally, they will no longer be able to represent the Church.

But the 28 rebels decided to counterattack.

In a statement, they in turn excommunicated twelve archbishops who were members of the Synod, before announcing the deployment of the 25 ordained bishops in their local churches.

These clerics point out that the central authority does not reflect the diversity of the church, leading to the disaffection of millions of believers.

They denied any desire for division.

The ball is now in the synod's court, in this crisis which is shaking some 45 million Ethiopian Orthodox.

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• Ethiopia

• Religion