The two prominent Apostles

July 11, 2015
By Kassa Nigus 

Every year, on Hamle 5th (July 12), the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido church  celebrates the feast of saints Peter and Paul with various religious rituals in the same day which always coincides with the end of the Apostle’ s fast and the monthly feast of Abune Gebre Menfes Kidus.

 St Peter

St Peter, who was named Simon, was a fisherman of Galilee and was introduced to the Lord Jesus by his brother Andrew, also a fisherman. Jesus gave him the name Cephas (Petrus in Latin), which means ‘Rock,’ because he was to become the rock upon which Christ would build His Church. Then he become one of Jesus Christ’s 12 apostles and spent most of his life preaching the gospel after Jesus’ death.

St Peter was a bold follower of the Lord. He was the first to recognize that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and eagerly pledged his fidelity until death. In his boldness, he also made many mistakes, however, such as losing faith when walking on water with Christ and betraying the Lord on the night of His passion.

Yet despite his human weaknesses, Peter was chosen through the mercy of God to shepherd His flock. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, Peter became a fearless and powerful preacher of the Gospel. He performed many wonders, healing the sick and raising the dead, and even his shadow had the power of healing the sick. The Acts of the Apostles illustrates his role as head of the Church after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. Peter led the Apostles as the first Pope and ensured that the disciples kept the true faith. St. Peter spent his last years in Rome, leading the Church through persecution and eventually being martyred in there. 

 St. Paul
 St. Paul was born in Tarsus five years after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. He wrote fourteen epistles which are included in the writings of the New Testament, and through them we learn much about his life and the faith of the early Church. Before receiving the name Paul, he was Saul, a Jewish Pharisee who zealously persecuted Christians in Jerusalem. Scripture records that Saul was present at the martyrdom of St. Stephen.

Saul’s conversion took place eight years later after the Ascension of Jesus Christ as he was on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christian community there. As he was traveling along the road, he was suddenly surrounded by a great light from heaven. He was blinded and fell off his horse. He then heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He answered: “Who are you, Lord?” Christ said: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:1-6)

Saul continued to Damascus, where he was baptized by Ananias, one of the 72 disciples and his sight was restored. He took the name Paul and spent the remainder of his life preaching the Gospel tirelessly to the Gentiles of the Mediterranean world. (Acts 9:10-19)

In general, St. Peter and St. Paul are two of the most well known saints who are mostly responsible for spreading the Christ’s message in the days of the early church. As to why they are celebrated on the same day, scriptures have it that they were executed on the same day in 69A.D under the command of the Emperor Nero and buried in Rome. 

According to the scriptures, Paul was beheaded while St. Peter was crucified upside down at his own request because he said he was not worthy to be sacrificed in the same manner as Christ. 

Since we are among the first people, who accept Christianity by the apostles themselves, celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith in order to be sharers of their blessings. 

Source:
Ethiopic Synaxarium: the book of the saints of the Ethiopian Church, on the month of Hamle 5 (July 12) 
Hiruy Ermias 1995 E.C.Mezgebe Tarik, part-2, pp.119-126.


The Fast of the Apostles

July 9, 2016
By Kassa Nigus 
The Fast of the Apostles is one of the oldest fasts in the church, and was previously known as the “Fast of Pentecost” or the “Fast of the Disciples.” However, during the Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., its name was changed to “Fast of the Apostles” which is carried through till today1.

The scriptural foundation for the Fast is mentioned in the Holy Gospels (Matt. 9: 14-15) & (Mark 2:19-20), when the disciples of John and the  Pharisees criticized the apostles for not fasting, “Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.2” 

The  commentary meaning of these verses is that  Christ was referring to His being taken to be crucified; but in the wider sense it is understood in terms of His Ascension into heaven, and his commission to preach the Gospel, which can only be accomplished with prayer and fasting3.

The duration of the Apostles fast depends upon the date of Easter, and therefore it varies from year to year. It always begins with the end of Be’ale Hemsa (season of Pentecost), or with the Monday after Pentecost, and terminates on Hamle 5th (July 12), the day that commemorates the martyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul. 

The Church calls us to keep this fast according to the example of the holy Apostles, who, having received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, prepared themselves to preach the Gospels to the whole world. It is of great importance to remember that all the works of the apostles were through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The same is with every decision made in church nowadays. It is always in light of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Any decision made otherwise is unwise; thus, it is vital to continually ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our life. We pray that God may bless us throughout this fast.

  May the prayers, intercessions, and blessings of all the apostles be with us all. Amen.

Source: 
• 2Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church Holy Gospel Commentary (2005/6). (ወንጌል ቅዱስ ዘእግዚእነ ወመድኃኒነ ኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ፡ 1997 ዓ.ም.)
•1The Fast and Feast of the Apostles (http://www.copticheritage.org/rites/23_the_fast_and_feast_of_the_apostles). 
• 3Bible፡ the King James Version (1769). 

 

Establishment of the First Church Dedicated to St. Virgin Mary

June 27/2014
By Kassa Nigus
According to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, there are 33 prescribed feasts of St. Virgin Mary, among these one is the day when the Apostles assembled, and her Son Jesus Christ came to build the first church of St. Virgin Mary on  27 June/Sene 20  in Philip.
Four years after the ascension of our perpetual Lady Virgin Mary, St. Paul and St. Barnabas were preaching the Gospel in Philippi. The dwellers of the city believed in God and got baptism. Paul and Barnabas urged them not to go back to temples where idols were worshipped. This provoked the dwellers of Philippi to ask the Apostles to build a church for them in their city.
 
Paul and Barnabas then sent a message to their fellow Apostles St. Peter and St. John the Christian’s wish to get a church. Peter and John replied that they should pray and ask for the Will of Christ before establishing the church. And they prayed for days. After they finished their prayer, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ carried all the Apostles in clouds and gathered them in Philippi. On this day, St. John asked the Lord why He gathered them there, and the Lord told them that He want to teach them the ritual for building church  dedicated to St. Virgin Mary as it is His will to erect such churches all over the world. 
 
Then, He took the apostles eastwards and miraculously gathered three rocks which were located far apart from one another. He set the length and width of the rocks and gave them for the apostles to build the church. They twisted and bended the rocks like a wax melting in the face of fire and built a temple with 24 yards of length and 12 yards of width. He then told them to build churches following the tradition and then ascended to heaven. On the next day, He celebrated the Holy Mass with the Apostles and gave them His Holy Flesh and Blood making St. Virgin Mary the bearer of the Holy Communion and designating Himself chief priest and St. Peter and St. Stephen assistant priest and chief deacon respectively. He then placed His hand on Peter’s head and ordained him to be patriarch. The apostles and heavenly angels praised the Lord in unison for all His blessings. (All this took place in 53 AD.)     
                 May her prayer and intercession be upon us!! 
  Source:  Translated (June 2006 E.C) from the book: 
• Te’amre Maryam: Ge’ezna Amargna  (Miracle of St. Mary: Ge’ez and Amharic) 1989 E.C.
• Mezgebe Tarik by Hiruy  Ermyas, 2001 E.C.        

The Feast of Abba Gerima

June 23, 2016

By Kassa Nigus 

Abba Gerima, or Yeshaq (Isaac), is one of the Nine Saints attributed to be the founder of Abba Gerima monastery in 494, some kilometers east of Adwa town, in northern Ethiopia. The monastery is the home of world’s earliest illustrated ancient manuscripts known as ‘Garima Gospels’ which is written and named after a saint himself. Aba Gerima, along with other eight saints greatly influenced the course of religious thought through his writings, contributing to the development of Ethiopian Orthodoxy.

The saint wrote and illustrated the complete Gospels in a single day; God stopped the sun from setting until the Saint completed his work, as stated in his Hagiography. The Nine Saints arrived in Axum, the first great capital city of Ethiopia, in 480 having fled the persecutions of Chalcedonian Council that declared Monophysitism heresy in 451 AD. Each of these saints has a saint’s day on the Ethiopian Church calendar. Accordingly, the Church celebrates the Feast of Abba Gerima on 17th day of each month of which Senie 17(June 24) is an annual feast dedicated to the saint. 

The nine saints came from various parts of the East Roman Empire, and contributed a lot  in the initial growth of Orthodox Christianity in Ethiopia during the late 5th century. They built churches, translated the Bible from Greek to Ge’ez, and created Christian centers in various places of Ethiopia. Their names were Abba Aftse, Abba Alef, Abba Aragawi, Abba Garima (Isaac, or Yeshaq), Abba Guba, Abba Liqanos, Abba Pantelewon, Abba Sehma, and Abba Yem’ata. According to His Gadl (hagiography) and Ethiopic Synaxarium, the brief biography of Abba Gerima recorded as follows: 

Abba Garima was the son of Emperor of Rome (Byzantium), Masfeyanos, and his wife, Sefengeya. His mother bore him through the intercession of the Virgin Mary after fifteen years of barrenness. He was sent to study theology and then he was appointed deacon, but later, on his father’s death, became king against his will. After he had ruled seven years, he was summoned by Abba Pantalewon and, with the help of the Archangel Gabriel, was able to reach Aksum in three hours during the reign of Alameda. There he joined Pantalewon and remained with his community for some years until they parted company, when he went to Madara and founded a monastery. He stayed there for twenty-three years performing miracles, driving out demons, and tending to the sick.

Among his amazing miracles one is written as follows, one day he sowed wheat at dawn, and reaped it in the evening and some of it he offered as an offering; and on the following day he took the remainder up to the threshing floor, and he trod out the sheaves of wheat, and obtained there seventy-seven measures of grain. He also planted a vine shoot on a rock, and it took root, and put forth leaves and bore fruit immediately.   Once when he was writing a letter; the sun was about to set, he commanded the sun to stand and God stopped the sun from setting until the Saint completed his letter. The spittle which he spat out, remained unto this day, and has been a means for healing the sick; and once when a reed fell from his hand, it took root that very day. 

One day as the saint was on the way along with his associates, priests of a certain parish asked him to celebrate the Mass, so that he accomplished what they asked as he was worthy of it unlike others who ate their food earlier. Later on, a certain men told to Abba Pantalewon saying, “Saint Isaac consecrated the Mass after he had eaten.”  Then, Abba Pantalewon having gone to him caught him on the road, and he said unto him, “Wait the men from you, so that I may tell you a secret.”  Then, Saint Isaac said unto him, “Let you leave the men rather remove the stones and forests from us”; at a moment stones and forests moved away miraculously for a certain distant.  Then, Abba Pantalewon said unto him, “O my son Isaac, you have stunned me,” and thereupon he was called ‘Abba Garima’. 

Having finished his good course, our Redeemer appeared unto him, and promised him that [He would forgive the sins of] those who call upon his name, and celebrate his commemoration. And straightway he was caught up in a shining cloud and disappeared. Some say Garima died on 17 Sanie (24 June). The Emperor Gabra-Masqal is reputed to have built him a church there, which he endowed liberally. 
Source: 
• Synaxarium: The book of the saints of the Ethiopian Church.
• New home for ancient manuscripts (https://arefe.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/new-home-for-ancient-manuscripts/).

The Feast of Saint Michael

June 20, 2016
By Kassa Nigus 

Saint Michael is one of the seven Arch angels who stand before God, and is honored for defeating the Devil and his angles in heaven after they rebelled against God (Rev.12:7-9).  When the faithful falls in Satan’s temptation, they call the name of this angle and are always victorious over him.

The Ethiopian Orthodox  Tewahido Church celebrates the Feast of St. Michael on 12th day of each month of which two are great annual feasts of the saint: on Hidar 12 (November 21) and Senie 12 (June 19).The feast on June 19 is dedicated to “the deliverance of Bahiran from the hand of the wicked rich man" through the help of St Michael as stated in the Ethiopic Synaxarium. (Senie 12, pp. 567-569). The concise story goes as follows: 

There was a certain man who feared God, and who used to celebrate St Michael’s feast on the12th day of each month, and especially during the months of Hedar and Senie. A rich man in the neighborhood used to despise and ridiculed this God-fearing man for celebrating St Michael’s feasts. 

 

When the God-fearing man approaches to his death, he commanded his wife to keep on the celebration of St Michael’s feasts. The woman was pregnant when her husband passed away.  The woman suffered terrible pain during labor and she delivered through the help of St. Michael. When she brought forth a child, St Michael came down from heaven, blessed the child, and prophesied about the future fate of the child saying, “This child shall inherit all the possessions and land of the rich man.” At that moment God opened the ear of the rich man and was heard what the angel said. Then great sorrow came upon him, and he wanted to kill the child. But God protected the child through the intercession of St Michael. 
 

When the child was ten years old, his mother’s money came to an end, and the rich man found his opportunity against the woman. And he requested a woman to minister her child at the wage of twenty dinars in gold. Then the woman gave her son to the rich man. The man rejoiced with a great joy, and said in his heart, “Behold what I have desired is fulfilled for me. 
 

Then he made a wooden box which fit the size of the boy and crammed him into the box and threw the box in to a river. However, the box floated on the surface of the river by the grace of God until it came to the quay of a certain city. A shepherd nearby saw the box and pulled it out and took it to his home. When the Shepherd unlocked the box, he found a smart boy crammed in the box.  He named him ‘Bahran’ because he found him in the river; the boy became to him as his son. 
 

Years later, the rich man wished to go and sojourn with the shepherd, and when the sun was about to set he said unto the shepherd, “If you provide me with a place to rest in until tomorrow, I will pay you the charge.” The shepherd welcomed the rich man into his house, and he called the boy “Bahran” by his name.  When the rich man heard the name, he asked the shepherd whether Bahiran was his son.  The shepherd replied “Yes, I found this young man when he was a little boy in a box in the river, and I took him and reared him as my son.” Upon hearing that, the rich man was very sorry in his heart, because he knew that the young man was the boy whom he had thrown into the river to kill him. 
 

The following day, with an evil plot in mind, the rich man asked his host to allow him to send Bahiran with a message to his house in his home city claiming that he had forgotten something at home. He promised to pay twenty dinars of gold for the errand. The shepherd was agreed with the rich man to send to his house. Then the rich man wrote a letter to his steward, saying, “When you have read this letter, kill the bearer of it, whose name is ‘Bahran,’ and cast his body into a pit. Let no one know about this until I come in peace”; he wrote on the letter a certain sign which they had agreed upon, and which none but the rich man and his steward knew. He sealed the letter and gave it to Bahran. He also handed him the money needed for the journey, and the young man departed. 
 

As Bahiran was about to reach at the house of the rich man , behold one day the angel of God, Michael, came to him in the guise of a soldier riding a horse; and he said to Bahran, “What do you have with you?” when Bahran told him about the letter, the angel asked to see it. Bahran has shown the letter in distant being frightened and the angel blew on the paper, erasing what was written on it.  Immediately, the thought of the letter was changed this way, “Behold, I the rich man have sent unto you the bearer of this letter whose name is Bahran. As soon as you have read this letter, let him marry my daughter and take over all my possessions. Do not wait until I come back, for I shall tarry on my journey. Let him do what he wishes in my house, for I have given him authority over all my belongings. Here is the sign which is between you and me, O my steward.” 
 

Then the angel sealed the letter, gave it to Bahran and Bahiran keep on his journey devotedly.  When Bahran had reached at the house of the rich man, he gave the letter to his steward. When the steward read the letter and recognized the mark, and knew that it was authentic. They immediately made a great marriage-feast for Bahran and the daughter of the rich man, and they married them in the church, before the sanctuary of God; the couple enjoyed their wedding season for forty days. 
 

Towards the end of the marriage-feast the rich man returned to his city, and when he heard the sound of the music, he asked, saying, “What is this sound which I hear?” People told him the whole story about the letter and that Bahiran and his wife took control of all his possessions. When the rich man heard these words, he cried out at the top of his voice, fell down and died. Bahran inherited all his money as God had commanded. The young man celebrated St Michael’s feast on the 12th day of each month, knowing that it was he who had appeared to him and changed the letter. 

Dear brothers and sisters, God changed the letter of death to the letter of life and vice versa for nothing is impossible with God. God has an unconditional authority at bringing good out of bad.  The things you wish might be removed from your life are often the very things that God is using to shape and change you into the character of good believer He wants you to be.  He wants to use that problem for good in your life. There’s something more important than your pain.  It’s what you’re learning from that pain. 

Glory to God!!

Source: 

• Ethiopic Syanaxarium, (Senie 12, pp.567-569). 

• Homily of St. Michael (Ge’ez and Amharic), 1989.

Parakletos: The Descent of the Holy Spirit

June 18, 2016

By Kassa Nigus

Parakletos comes from the Greek word translated “Comforter” or “Counselor” (as found in John 14:16, 26; 15:26; and 16:7). This Counselor, or Paraclete, is another name for the Holy Spirit, the third Person of Holy Spirit who among other things provides guidance, consolation, strength, and support to people. The feast of Parakletos also known as by the name Pentcost as the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and the other believers on the Day of Pentecost.

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, Pentecost is one of the nine major movable feasts of the Lord. It is a church feast that commemorates the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the three hour of the day, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ. This year (2016) the Feast of Pentcost falls on June 19 which is also the annual feast of St Michael – the festivity of the deliverance of Bahhiran from the wicked rich man through the help of the St Michael.

Originally, Pentecost was a Jewish historical holy day which is known as Harvest Festival before the era of the apostles. Harvest Festival (Be’ale Sewit): One of the major feasts during the Jewish year; it celebrates thanks giving for harvested crops. Israel commemorated it, fifty days – seven weeks to the day – after the sickle was first put to the grain there was a harvest festival. Fifty days after the grain harvest, processions of pilgrims bore baskets of their first fruits to the temple as a thank offering for the harvest.

After the accomplishment of His redemptive work, God made the harvest festival to relate to festival of the Holy Spirit. Seven weeks to the day after Jesus died and rose from the dead, He breaths the wind and fire of His Spirit upon His Church. This is the fulfillment of the Harvest festival: Fifty days after the sickle had been put to the grain, comparable to fifty days after JESUS was hung on a cross, crucified and buried, fifty days after the promised Seed that had been buried in the ground sprouted to life. After the fulfillment of His salivation; Jesus had made a covenant with His disciples to establish a new covenant, to establish a new Church.

Before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come after Him: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”  (John 14:16–18)

During His Ascension, Jesus has promised the Apostles saying, “I will send unto you another Paraclete, Who shall come from the Father. Wait ye and remain in Jerusalem until ye receive the promise of the Father.”

Accordingly, when the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place when the promise was fulfilled as Peter and the early Church were in Jerusalem for Pentecost. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (languages) as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1–4)

According to the New Testament commentators of the Ethiopian Church, the Apostles had spoken perfectly in seventy two languages, whereas the other devout men who were dwelling at Jerusalem, uttered in not less than fifteen languages; some uttered fifty, the other twenty or twenty five or even some had spoken sixty. (Metsahifte Haddisat Selestu 1989, pp.22)  

After the Apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit, they were enabled or empowered divinely to preach the Gospel of Salvation "in Christ" fearlessly. As a result, three thousand souls were added to the Church that day, through sacred Baptism (Acts 1:5, 9:4; 2:41). Thus, the official inauguration of the Church took place on that day, and is considered the day of the birth of the Church.

This feast is followed with the "Apostle’s Fast" which begins on the Monday after; or immediately following Pentecost Sunday.  It has a fixed end date on the fifth of the Ethiopian month of Hamle [July 12]. The fifth of Hamle is the commemoration of the Martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul.

Source:

• Holy Bible- King James Version

• The Three Books of New Testament Commentary: Acts, Epistles, Revelation (Metsahifte Haddisat Selestu in Ge’ez and Amharic), 1989, pp.22.

• Synaxarium: The book of the saints of the Ethiopian Church.

Mahibere Kidusan Launches Encyclopedia of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church

June 16, 2016
By Kassa Nigus    
Mahiber Kidasan’s (MK) Research Center announced the launch of Encyclopedia of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church at a ceremony held on June11, 2016 at Semein Hotel. The Encyclopedia is named Bahire Tibebat, temporarily, a Ge’ez term meaning sea of wisdom.

In his opening speech, Deputy Secretary-General  of Mahibere Kidusan, Ato Seyfe Alemayehu, made the remark that preparation of the Encyclopedia is one among the major activities carried out by the Research Center of MK. He also thanked Church and university scholars who contributed towards the success of the project.

Director of Research Center, Dr. Abate Mekuria, said that since the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the owner and source of many invaluable treasures, ancient monuments and has thousands of believers, the absence of church Encyclopedia till now has created a gap not only for the Church but for the country in general. Taking this fact into consideration, Mahiber Kidasan decided to prepare Bahire Tibebat in consultation with the relevant bodies in order to facilitate further the transmission of the teachings of the Church. Dr. Abate added that the Preparation of the Encyclopedia (Bahire Tibebat), directed by an Advisory Board under the chairmanship of Archbishop Abune Lukas, incorporates editorial staff members. The project embraces the involvement of three hundred and seven more local and foreign experts. 

Mel’ake Tabor Teshome Zerihun, one of the members of the Advisory Board, in commenting on the matter cited an Ethiopian saying, “journey of a thousand miles begins in one step”. Though the work required many trials and efforts, one should strive using shortcuts to attain the project before one passes away to see its fruition. He also recommended that the term Medbel be incorporated parallel to the word Encyclopedia. 

Dr. Mikre Sillasie G/Amanuel, another member of the Advisory Board, thanked Mahibere Kidusan for taking the initiative and start of this project. Though it is sad that Church Encyclopedia is absent till now, now they are sitting there making every effort to attain it. He also added that as the word encyclopedia comes from the Greek word meaning a source of knowledge, it is better to give it an equivalent name for it.  He suggested alternative names such as Mezgebe A’emro, Mezgebe Tibebat, Felege A’emro, Felege Tiobebat, etc. 

During the ceremony, the Advisory Board and other members of the editorial board expressed their excitement for being participants in the project. They also added that it is important to anticipate problems through insight so that it is possible to go past it and exhibit patience and understanding. They also underlined the need to ask God in prayer for the success of the project. 

During the event, an Advisory Board and an Editorial Board were set up.  Accordingly, Prof. Shiferaw Bekele [chairman], Prof. Baye Yimam [vice chairman], Dr. Abate Mekurya [Secretary], became members of the Advisory Board while members for the Editorial Board are Dr Yohannes Adgeh [chairman], Dr. Abebaw Minaye [vice chairman], and Deacon Mulalem Kassa [secretary].

Finally, Dr Yohannes Adgeh, chairman of the project, expressed his appreciation to the participants of the event and the owners of Semien Hotel for letting them use the hall for free. Following the lunch program to the guests, the event was closed in prayer.  

The Ascension of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ

June 14, 2016
By Kassa Nigus 
The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is one of the nine great feasts of the Church in the liturgical calendar, and commemorates each year the bodily Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. Ascension Day is always celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day after Easter day (Acts 1:3). The story of the Ascension of our Lord is stated in the book of the Acts of the Apostles 1:3-11. It is also mentioned in the Gospels of Mark (16:19) and Luke (24:50-53).

In His last stay on earth, Jesus Christ was appeared, forty days after His Resurrection from the dead and commanded to His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the "Promise of the Father". He stated, "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5).

After Jesus gave these instructions, He led the disciples to the Mount of Olives. Then, He ordered them to be His witnesses "In Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).  As the disciples watched, Jesus lifted up His hands, blessed them, and then was taken up out of their sight (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9).

Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. Then two angels appeared to them and asked them why they were gazing into heaven. Then one of the angels said, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him going into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

The Ascension of Jesus Christ was vital in a chain of the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Old and New Testament times (Psalms 110:1; Matthew 26:64; John 6:62; John 7:33; John 14:28; John 16:5; John 20:17). A thousand years before the Savior’s birth, David prophesied the ascension of Jesus when he announced the Lord’s enthronement at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1).

The ascension of Christ into heaven endorses contrary to Jewish expectations, the coming of Lord to this world was not to overthrow Rome, and establish an earthly, political administration as stated in different parts of the Bible, (John 6:15; 18:36; Acts 1:6). In contra to the Jewish expectations the ascension of Christ approves the end of His redemptive work and the end of His public ministry of words and works (John 17:4-11; Heb. 1:3; 10:12)

Glory be to our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ!

 

St. Thomas the Apostle

June 2, 2016
By Kassa Nigus
St. Thomas the Apostle  is one of the Twelve Apostles (Mat.10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6, Acts 1:13, John 14:1-5).   St. Thomas was born in Galilee, Israel, around the 1st century. The name Thomas is derived from the Aramaic or Syriac ‘Toma’, meaning "twin"; the equivalent term for twin in Greek is ‘Didymus’. (Wikipedia, the free Ency.). He is informally also called ‘doubting Thomas’ because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection. 

The Ethiopian Orthodox  Tewahido church celebrates his martyrdom on Ginbot 26 (June 3). In addition, the Tuesday after Easter is dedicated to him as the Tuesday of Thomas, in remembrance of St. Thomas’ doubting question to Jesus. St. Thomas is absent from the Upper Room the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples after His Resurrection. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’  But St. Thomas dismissed their claim saying, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (Luke 20:25). 

A week later the disciples were in the house again, and St. Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then He told Thomas to examine the Marks on His hands and  said, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’" Then, Thomas fell at the feet of Jesus and said, “My Lord and my God!” and Jesus replied, “Because you have seen me, Thomas, you believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believe” (John 20:25-29). This incident gave rise to the expression “doubting Thomas.”

Thomas’ devotion to Jesus is indicated in the Gospel of John 11:5–16 and in his action when Jesus was to return to Judaea.  The disciples warned Him of the Jews’ animosity (“now seeking to stone you”), to which St. Thomas replied, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” At the Last Supper (John 14:1–7) St. Thomas could not comprehend what Jesus meant when He said: “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” St.Thomas’ question, “how can we know the way?” caused Jesus to answer, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

Some of the apostolic missions of St Thomas that recorded in the Ethiopic Synaxarium are summarized as follows:  St. Thomas went to his apostolic diocese, India and Kantara to preach the Gospel and made many more miracles there. He worked there as a slave at one of the governors of the king, whose name was Lukios, who brought him to the king who inquired about his profession. Thomas said: "I am builder, carpenter and a physician. Then the governor set out to go to the king, and he left St Thomas to build in the house. Contrary to the order of the king, St Thomas preached the gospel of Christ in his master’s palace, and Lukios’ wife believed and all his household. 

Later on, the king asked him about his achievements, and St. Thomas answered: "The palaces that I built were the souls that have become the temples of the King of Glory; the carpentry that I did was the Gospel that removes the thorns of sin; and the medicines I practiced are the Holy Mysteries which heal the poison of the evil one. The king became angry and tortured him, and bound him among four poles, cut off his skin and rubbed his wounds with salt and lime. St. Thomas endured the pains. 

Lukios’ wife saw him suffering, and she fell from the window and died. Lukios came to him and said: "If you raise my wife from the dead, I believe in your God." St. Thomas went to the room where the dead body was, and said: “O, Arsonia, rise up in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ." She rose instantly and bowed to the Saint. When her husband saw that, he believed and many more with him from the people of the city, and St. Thomas baptized them. 

St. Thomas left and went to a city called Kontaria, where he found an old man weeping bitterly because the king killed his three children (other Ethiopic and Coptic sources said six children). The Saint prayed over them, and the Lord raised them up. The idolatry priests were angry, and wanted to stone him. The first one picked up a stone to throw it at him, but his hand became paralyzed. The Saint prayed over his hand, he was healed instantly, and all the idolatry priests believed in the Lord Christ. 

St. Thomas also went to the cities of Kenas, and Makedonya, and preached to the men therein in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He also baptized the wife of the king and all her household. When the kings heard about him, he was exceedingly angry and commanded four of his soldiers to kill him with their spears so as to erase him from public memory. They stabbed him with spear repeatedly until he died (in 72 AD). The men of the city including the king’s son came to deliver St. Thomas from the hands of the soldiers, but they found that his soul had already departed. Then they wrapped up his body and laid it on one of the royal tombs.  The Coptic Synaxarium recorded that, he was buried in "Melibar", then his body was relocated to El-Raha.

According to church tradition, St. Thomas was also the only witness of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. Thomas the Apostle was not present at the time of St. Mary’s departure. He was on duty in his apostolic diocese of India. As he went back to Jerusalem carried on a cloud St. Mary appeared to him while she was ascending to witness her body’s Assumption into heaven, from which she dropped her girdle. In an inversion of the story of Thomas’ doubts, the other apostles are skeptical of St. Thomas’ story until they see the empty tomb and the girdle. Today, priests attach a piece of vestment in their crosses to remember St. Thomas’ receipt of the girdle from the Ascended Virgin Mary. 

  Glory be to God who is glorified by His saints!!

Sources: 
• Ethiopic Synaxarium, on 3 June.
• Coptic Orthodox Church Network (http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/9_26.html)
•Wikipedia, the free encyclo.,(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_the_Apostle#Feast_days).

The Festival of the Appearance of St. Mary

May  30, 2016
By Kassa Nigus

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church venerates St. Mary as the Mother of God, whom the Divine Grace chose to bear the Word of God in her womb by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). Since she is the interceding mother on behalf of her spiritual children, she is exalted above heavenly and earthly creatures. Therefore, the Ethiopian church celebrates 33 feasts of St Mary throughout the year. 

Ginbot 21 (May 29) is one of the annual feasts of St Mary celebrated colorfully following her appearance in the church of Debre Mitmak named after her. According to the Ethiopic Synaxarium, our Lady started to transfigure in luminous spiritual forms over and around of the domes of the church dedicated to her in Debre Mitmak.  Her public appearance continued for five days in front of multitudes of people from every race and religion, she was looking to them in a compassionate way raising her hand to bless them in all directions.

According to Ethiopian Orthodox church’s tradition, the site is one of the locations where the Holy family stayed during their flight into Egypt, and God prophesied concerning of the church and said “Behold, later on the church will be built here in the name of my Mother, St Mary”.

Hosts of angles appear standing behind her spreading their wings to glorify her from heaven. The prophets, the righteous, and all of the martyrs including Saint George and Saint Mercorios came and did homage to her. During her apparition, she made many miracles among the crowd, for instance, those whose relative was died made a prayer in her name, and then she brought alive before his relatives as he had before on earth. The congregation threw their garments to her, she took and threw it back to them, and they divided it among them for blessing.

Source: Ethiopic Synaxarium, on Ginbot 21 (May 29).  

May the mercy of God be upon us all. May the Lord keep His people and church in peace, with the intercession of Our Lady, the pure Virgin St. Mary.  Amen.