The Statue of Abune Petros Returns to its Former Square

February 9, 2016
By Kassa Nigus  
The 9.3 tone statue of Abune Petros, the Ethiopian martyred Archbishop, returned back to its old place known as Abune Petros square on February 7, 2016 after the completion of the light rail transit project.

The statue of Abune Petros was relocated on April 2013 from its site to make way for the construction of the light trail tunnel underneath the square. Since then the statue was kept in the compound of the National Museum.

The re-installment ceremony was attended by His Holiness Abuna Matias, Patriarch of Ethiopia, Ichege of the See of St. Tekle Haymanot and Archbishop of Axum, H.E. Ato Deriba Kuma, Addis Ababa City Mayor, H.E. Aysha Muhammed (Eng.), Minister of Culture and Tourism,  Ato Yonas Desta, Director General of the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Ato Gebre Tsadik Hagos, Head of Addis Abeba Culture and Tourism Bureau, Fikadu Haile (Eng.), Director General of Addis Ababa City Road Authority, and other invited guests.

Abune Petros’ statue was initially erected in 1941 in memory of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Archbishop who was executed on 29 July 1936 by the Italian occupation forces for publicly condemning colonialism, invasion and massacre. It is one of the 14 historical monuments in Addis Ababa.   

Historical records show that the Italian invaders tried to convince the martyred Archbishop to recognize their authority and stop denouncing the invasion in return for his release from detention. But, he refused saying, "The tears of my countrymen caused by your gas and your machines will never allow my conscience to accept your ultimatum. How could I stand before God if I do not condemn a crime of such magnitude?”

Later on, Abune Petros was sentenced to death. During his final moments, His Grace passed a message to the crowd gathered in Addis Ababa: “My countrymen do not believe the fascists telling you that the Patriots are bandits; the Patriots are people who are fighting to free us from the terror of fascism. Bandits are the soldiers who are in front of me and you, who have come from far, to terrorize and violently occupy a weak and peaceful country: our Ethiopia. God gives to the people of Ethiopia the strength to resist and never bow to the Fascist army and its violence. An Ethiopian land can never accept the orders of the invading army. Land of Ethiopia, I condemn you if you accept such an invasion.” Finally, Abune Petros was made to sit on a chair and was shot dead with eleven bullets by many Italian soldiers.

Eventually, memorial statues were erected in 1946 near St. George’s Churchl at the heart of Addis and at the back side of Addis Ababa Municipality.