Mahibere Kidusan TV program expands to Chicago city

 August 17, 2015

By Kassa Nigus

Mahibere Kidusan’s (MK) spiritual television program aired on Ethiopian Broadcasting Service (EBS) has expanded its reach to Chicago city in the United States starting August 1, 2015. According to MK’s Center of Publication and Electronic Media in America, the transmission in the US was previously confined to Boston, Cambridge, Seattle, Minnesota and Saint Paul.

Now that the program is also aired in Chicago, Ethiopian faithful residing in the city will have alternative means of learning the Word of God. The television program is aired three times on Saturdays and Sundays.

Officials in Chicago contributed a lot in the launch of the program by providing production studios. MK’s Center of Publication and Electronic Media in America said members of the fellowship across the US can play a significant role to further expand the transmission in all states by collaborating with church authorities.

The Publication and Electronic Media Department at MK’s headquarters in Addis Ababa is making efforts to increase the time of transmission of the TV program. The department also runs a two-hour internet television program and a one-hour radio program every week.  

  Source: Mahibere Kidusan’s Amharic website (http://eotcmk.org/site/) 

Mahibere Kidusan opens exhibition on church schools and monasteries

July 15, 2015
By Kassa Nigus 

The event that prepared by Kidusat Mekanat development and social service main department was opened at the hall of Mahibere Kidusan building on July 11, 2015.  The exhibition entitled in Ge’ez, “ማዕዶት ዘቤተ ጉባኤ ወገዳማት ዐውደ ርዕይ” roughly translated as “Exhibition on፡ the bridge of monasteries and School of excellence ”.

The exhibition was released by his grace Abune Lukas, secretary general of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and arch bishop of Setit Humera diocese. Nibure Eid Abba Gebre Mariam Gebre Sillase, the general manager of Ethiopian monasteries was one of the special guests at the opening ceremony of an exhibition.Ever since the show has been visited by multitudes of visitors of that interesting and nostalgic exhibition.

The event has been on the scene in eight divisions, such as the history of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, the contribution of Ethiopian Orthodox Church schools and monasteries, causes of problems of church schools and monasteries and its effect,  efforts and measures taken by Mahibere Kiduasan for the restoration of  these centers which are the source of indigenous knowledge, and the last part is entitled “what shall we do?” that arouses the visitors to take their role in alleviating the existing problems of church schools and monasteries.

According to Ato Gizachew Sisay, board manager of Kidusat Mekanat and social service main department, the main goal of the program is to create awareness on the problems of Ethiopian monasteries and church schools as well as on the ongoing efforts and   future plan of Mahibere Kidusan that mainly targets to create and build a sense of ownership and responsibility amongst the members of the church in order to participate in the existing situation of the stated impediments.

The exhibition will continue until 22 July.

Being a double-edged sword

June 30, 2015

By Kassa Nigus

His grace Abune Ephraim, bishop of north Shoa diocese ordained twenty five students of Debre Birhan University who attend religious courses along with their regular studies on June, 2015.

The appointment has been done after the newly chosen students fulfilled the required qualifications needed to be a deacon. This kind of missionary activities have been become a usual practice in most Ethiopian universities under the coordination of Mahibere Kidusan institution that facilitates a condition for  young students to have a versatile personality, i.e., for the church mission and the country in general.

After the sanction of the candidates, his grace Abune Ephraim forwarded his advice to the newly appointed deacons saying, “The ordination you received is not from man but from God; you shall use this great authority wisely in the evangelizing mission of the church.”

The center of MK at Debre Birhan consists of 16 Gibbi Gubaeyat (Campus centers where Christian students attend religious courses). In 8 of the centers, there are more than 500 hundred students who attend religious courses by two hired evangelist teachers.

Source: Debre Birhan center of Mahibere Kidusan.

Centenary of Aleka Tekle Gebrehana

June 9, 2015
By Mesfin Zegeye


We are pleased to announce that preparations are well underway to celebrate Aleka Tekle Gebrehana’s Centenary through a series of events under the title ‘Zikre Tekle’.  The event is organized by the parish council of Dabre Tabor Iyyesus and Mekane Birhan Holy Trinity Church.

Objectives of the event

  • Celebrating Gebrehana’s Centenary,

  • Promoting the significance of Tekle Akuakuam Misikir Gubae Bet (school) to the chant traditions, history and culture of the Ethiopian Church through presentations of various studies ,
  • Identifying the causes for the decline of the school (Gubae Bet) and discussing solutions with relevant stakeholders and,
  • Publishing a book which raises awareness about the distinct features of the Tekle Akuakuam traditions so as to create conducive learning and teaching environment  

What does the celebration include?

 ‘Zikre Tekle’ centenary celebration will be held from May to September 2015.
The program includes:

  • Presentations of research papers, documentaries and exhibition,
  • Panel discussion,
  • Visit to Nabega Giyorgis and Rema Medhanealem church which is the birth place of Aleka Tekle Gebrehana, founder of the Tekle School, 
  • Procession to Debre Tabor Iyyesus Tekle Akuakuam Gubae Bet (school)  and,
  • Sermons, spiritual chants performed in Tekle Zimame tradition, Ge’ez poetry recital, etc
 Stakeholders of the event

  • Tekle Akuakuam scholars,
  • Academia on Ethiopian history, heritage, culture, religion, etc 
  • The local culture and tourism office,
  • The local public as well as others interested in the history and tradition of Tekle Akuakuam

Achievements of Tekle Akuakuam School

Since its establishment, Tekle Akuakuam (school) has gone through many ups and downs while achieving some of its goals along the way:

  • When the master of this art, Aleka Tekle, became old, he entrusted his disciples with the responsibility of preserving and passing the knowledge to the next generation. In line with that, Tekle School (Gubae Bet) has been producing scholars and certifying them for chant services in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church; people who graduated from the school are taking part in church services in different parts of the country.
  • The school administration recently obtained land from Debre Tabor Iyesus Church to provide additional space for its students.
  • The school administration has also built a lounge for teachers.

The current condition of the school

Tekle Akuakuam is currently in a state of decline. One individual who knows the situation closely says, “There are problems in church schools (Gubae Bet) everywhere; but the situation of Tekle Akuakuam School is deteriorating by the day.”   

Causes for the decline of the school      

The Tekle Akuakuam tradition is not studied among Orthodox Christians in all localities of the Ethiopian church. Moreover, there is less demand in churches for people qualified in this chant tradition.

  • Students at the school in Debre Tabor do not get their basic needs such as food, lodging, clothing, water and electricity among others. This discourages the students and leads to high number of dropouts while putting off others who want to join the school. 
  • Due to lack of sense of belongingness, the local public do not make enough effort to preserve the tradition as their heritage.  
  • Lack of attention on the part of stakeholders to preserve the heritage better has also contributed to the worse situation the school finds itself in.  

The main purpose of the centenary celebration is to bring these problems to light and discuss them with relevant bodies so as to come up with lasting remedies.

Source: The Amharic version sent to us from Dabre Tabor branch of Mahibere Kidusan

THE BIRTH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

May 9, 2015
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Ginbot 1 (May 9), nine months after Nehasie 7 (August 13) celebration of her Immaculate Conception.

Both Joachim and Anne, Mary’s parent were lived a very modest and simple life. They were God-fearing people and were known for their humbleness and compassion. They never had children and, being very aged, had little chance at having any. However, not willing to despair, they began to devote themselves extensively and rigorously to prayer and fasting asking GOD to give them a child.  They even made a vow that if they had a child, they would dedicate that child to the service of God. Seeing their patience and faith, the LORD finally gave them a blessed daughter, Mary.

With Mary’s birth the era of darkness is avoided and there appears the star of the dawn that heralds the Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ.

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Holy Synod Release

May 9, 2015

By Mesfin Zegeye
In accordance with the Church’s tradition as provided for in Fitih Menfesawi Article 5 no. 164, the annual conference of the Holy Synod takes place twice a year. One out of the two is the council that takes place on the Wednesday twenty-five days after Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Resurrection.  Accordingly, the council of the Holy Synod started in the afternoon of May 5, 2015.

Following that on May 6, 2015 the regular session started after prayer and opening speech by His Holiness Patriarch, Abune Mathias, and the session continued for three days. Various decisions were passed and directions laid down.  

In the four days session of the Holy Synod of Ethiopian Church thoroughly deliberated on issues:

•  Beneficial to the Church and the country,

•  That contribute to development and peace,

•   Regarding the safety of the lives of fellow Ethiopians outside and inside of the country, and discussed on these in detail and passed the following decisions.

1. Since the opening, historical speech delivered by His Holiness the Patriarch covered all aspects of the life of the Church as well as indicated the importance of peace and development for our country in depth, the conference has endorsed it unanimously.

2. The council, after listening to the annual performance report by the office of the Holy Synod and making some modifications, has endorsed it unanimously.  

3. Based on the recommendation submitted by the Standing Holy Synod following its deliberation on the spiritual lives of Ethiopian and Egyptian Christians who had been executed cruelly and in an inhuman manner entirely because they are Christians and for no other reason by the terrorist group called IS in Libya, the annual Holy Synod council has passed the decision to declare them martyrs of the time.

4.  Since Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Christian believers martyred in Libya on April 19, 2015  and Coptic Orthodox Church Christians martyred in Libya on February 15, 2015, have been given status of martyrdom by the Holy Synods of the two Churches, the Holy Synod has agreed to commemorate them together as the 21st century martyrs of the two sister Churches.

5. Regarding fellow Ethiopians that have left their country for various reasons and living in foreign lands and those returning, the Church will do everything in its capacity to coordinate her efforts with the government’s undertaking of ensuring their safety and rehabilitation; in this connection a committee overseeing the issue has decided the Church’s Christian Relief and Development Association should take over the task to mobilize donors and put into it energetic efforts to that end.

6. The Holy Synod cognizant of the country’s current endeavor to undertake the fifth national election, the conference communicates the message that the Church prays steadfastly for the election to be peaceful and fair.

7. Although our country Ethiopia has suffered a lot because of poverty and civil conflict for so long and bears the mark of that suffering, the considerable success in development and growth being registered, equality and unity achieved, has resulted in realizing in the significance of peace in the last years; the Holy Synod underlines in the strongest terms that the people of Ethiopia cling to the peace and unity of the country and keep a watchful eye to protect Ethiopia from terrorists and extremists.

8.  Apart from the limitations in technology and capital as well as lack of awareness about the possibility of achieving prosperity by working within the country, since it is an established fact that our country Ethiopia is blessed with natural resources and is better than other countries in many respects,  the Holy Synod passes on the message that our young children abstain from moving to other countries and by so doing avoid exposing themselves to various dangers; should instead remain within the country and work to improve their lives and that the society should recognize this fact and work towards that end.

9.  Since the key solution to the problems of our country and people is eradicating poverty by strengthening development and ensuring progress, the Holy Synod brings to attention that by taking this realization to heart and supporting the development endeavor at various levels, our people should exert maximum efforts to put the country in the middle income nations’ category.

10. The Holy Synod has passed a strict resolution that all Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church localities undertake green development and self-initiated development so as to speed up growth.

11. Since the arbitration with Church Fathers found outside of Ethiopia has a crucial contribution to the development of the country and unity of our people that cannot be underestimated, the conference expresses that the doors of the Church is open for peace and reconciliation.

The Holy Synod after deliberating on the issues indicated above and other spiritual, social, and economic issues, wounded up its council today with a prayer.

May God bless our country, our people, and the whole world with peace, forgiveness, love and unity!