Holy Scriptures – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

The Commemoration of the Lord’s Crucifixion

The blessed day, where the eternal Lord’s Crucifixion is commemorated, Jesus Christ Incarnate, to Him, is the Glory, for the salvation of the world. Holy Bible states it as, “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.” (Matthew 27:45) That day, at the ninth hour, the sun had hidden its light, the moon bled, the starts had fallen and dead people had risen from the grave, when they saw their creator incarnated, hanging with His own free will on the wood of the Cross, inclined His head, and yielded up His spirit.

Patristic fathers teach us, “His Divinity parted not from His Humanity for a single moment, nor a twinkle of an eye, and He descended to the hades from the cross to save those in bondage therein.”The Apostle Saint Peter has also said, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison.” (1 Peter 3:18-19)

Abune Abib

Abba Bula, who was surnamed ‘Abib departed on Tikmet 25. His name meaning Bula “servant of God” and Abib to mean “Father of Many.”

The influence of unemployment and resolutions

Unemployment, also known as joblessness is seen as a “disruption to an individual’s God-given calling or vocation.” The Book of Genesis states primarily “And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3:17) Holy Orthodox Incarnation has the moral obligation in creating environment for the vocation to be fulfilled.

Archdeacon and Protomartyr Saint Stephen

The Archdeacon and Protomartyr Stephen was the eldest of the seven deacons, appointed by the Apostles themselves, on Tikmet 17, to oversee charity in the early Jerusalem church, according to the “Book of Acts.” Therefore, he is called “archdeacon.”

Saint Gabra Krestos

As they were burying him they found a paper grasped tightly in his hand and they were unable to remove it. They prayed together to the God of heaven; When they had prayed the paper was released from his hand, and they read it. They knew that he was their son. Then they wept bitterly and buried him. His tomb became a place where the sick were healed, the blind, where many miracles were wrought and where countless acts of grace were performed.

The Departure of Abba Demetrius I, 12th Pope of Alexandria

On the year 224 A.D., the pure and celibate father, the fighter of lusts, and the vanquisher of nature, Abba Demetrius I, 12th Pope of Alexandria, departed. This saint was an illiterate farmer, and was married. He lived with his wife 47 years until he was chosen a Patriarch.

The Departure of Abune Tekele Haimanot

He who is called the plant of The Father, the plant of The Son and the plant of Holy Spirit, Abune Tekele Haimanot departed on Nehassie 24, 1296, at the age of 99 years, 10 months, and 10 days. Monks buried him in his cave.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church commemorates the feast of the saint on 24th day of each month of which some are great annual feasts – on Tahisas 24, his birth, Megabit 24 his conception, Ginbot 12 the departure of his relics and Nehasie 24, the departure of the saint.

The Departure of Micah, the Prophet

The great righteous prophet Micah, departed on Nehassie 22. He prophesied about Samaria and Jerusalem during the time of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezkiah, kings of Judeah. Also about the incarnation of the Lord, to Whom is the Glory, saying, “For behold, the Lord is coming out of His high place. He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.” (Micah 1:3).

The Ascension of Saint Mary

The high reverence for the Virgin Saint Mary, by Orthodox Tewahedo Church is best expressed and celebrated feasts for her.

The Pastoral Care of Addicts

Generally speaking about addiction, it is necessary to discuss especially about alcoholism as we see it as the most eloquent example of addiction. This, not only due to the fact that the phenomenon of alcoholism is by far the best-known in our country at the moment, but also to the fact that what is applied to the disease of alcoholism remains valid for the addiction to other substances or behaviors. Furthermore, the spiritual process of recovering from various dependencies is very similar, in almost all cases, whether one speaks about alcohol, cannabis or heroine. Of course, there are differences between addictions and their solutions; however, we shall highlight the similarities between them, trying to understand them better, from a theological coherent perspective.