School of Divinity of Howard University Returns Sacred manuscript to Ethiopian Orthodox Church
February 1, 2016 (In Featured News)
After more than forty years of being in American Howard, the sacred Ethiopian manuscript has been returned to its original home and rightful owner, the Monastery of Debre Libanos thanks to the goodwill of Howard Divinity School. A delegation of the university brought the sacred items to Ethiopia and delivered to the Monastery on January 11, 2016.
The manuscript which composes the Hagiographies of Saints Sarabamon and Paul was taken from the Monastery for an unknown reason and stayed abroad for more than forty years. Howard University decided to return to its rightful owner following the realization of the prevalence of the manuscript.
The manuscript contains two texts: the Acts of Paul and the Acts of Sarabamon. The manuscript was donated to Howard University by the late Dr. Andre Tweed, a prominent psychiatrist and Howard alumnus in 1993; it was not clear how he came to own the items.
According to the information obtained from Howard University, Alton B. Pollard III (the School’s Dean), Dr. Gay L. Byron (Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity), Professor Steve Delamarter, Professor Alice Bellis, Lawrence Rodgers and others are the members of the team involved in the process of returning the manuscripts.
During the event of receiving of this priceless manuscript, His Holiness Abune Matias, Patriarch and Catholicos of Ethiopia, Ichege of the See of St. Tekle Haymanot and Archbishop of Axum said, it is very glad to see the return of this lost ancient church heritage and of the country in general. Using this event as an opportunity, our church shall make unreserved efforts along with its fellow Christians to demand the return of sacred items lost in various unknown ways. The government also should play its own role in the returning process of the lost items found abroad for they are property of the church and are of valuable significance for the church and the country in general, the Patriarch added.
His grace Abune Kewstos, Archbishop of North Shewa Dioceses, said that I feel happy about the return of these ancient manuscripts and our church’s heritage. His grace also indicated that the coming of this manuscript contributes a lot in image building of the country and we the rightful owners shall have control of the sacred book by returning the looted sacred ancient manuscripts. His grace also extended his gratitude on his behalf and on behalf of his diocese to all those who were involved in the process of returning the manuscripts.
The abbot of the monastery, Tsebate Qomos Abba Welde Mariam Admasu expressed his utmost joy saying, “today is unique for me.”
Lastly, Alton B. Pollard III, the school’s dean said, “We feel proud for we returned this great and the only ancient manuscripts to its rightful owner. Even if we don’t know how it came to our country, we decided to return after we discovered as the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church is the owner of the text.”
It is discovered that Howard University made the head of the monastery to sign a memorandum of understanding which appeared to have some controversial statements about the ownership of the manuscript. Under the Patriarchs’ direction, a commute is established which is responsible to examine the signed deed of gift.