Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles

Last updated July 05, 2023

Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles refers to the offices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a hierarchical organization. Some of the more important offices are unique to it.

Titles

Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles include:

Patriarch we Re'ese Liqane Papasat — Patriarch and First of the Archbishop,^[1] meaning Catholicos. Since 1959, the title of the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is Patriarch Catholicos of Ethiopia. The first Patriarch, Abuna Basilios was enthroned by the Coptic Orthodox Pope Cyril VI in 1959, and so the Patriarchs of Ethiopia are part of the Apostolic succession of the Holy See of St. Mark. The Ethiopian Patriarchate combined the old offices of Abuna and Ichege (see below). In 2001, the title of Archbishop of Axum was added to the titles of the Patriarch after Axum was elevated to the rank of an Archdiocese by the Holy Synod.
Abuna — Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. From the 4th century until the middle of the 20th century he was a Coptic Metropolitan appointed by the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa to serve as its leader.^[2] However, as time passed, the authority of the Abuna was reduced to little more than a figurehead largely because the incumbents spoke little Ge'ez or Amharic. In 1948, the Coptic Orthodox Pope Joseph II under request from Emperor Haile Selassie I, appointed the then Ichege (see below) as the first Ethiopian born Archbishop, Abuna Basilios, and granted the Ethiopian church autocephaly. His successor as Coptic Orthodox Pope, Cyril VI, elevated Abune Basilios to the exalted rank of Patriarch in 1959. The title of Abuna is now held by all the numerous Archbishops and Bishops of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Ichege — the abbot of the monastery of Debre Libanos, who served as the second highest ecclesiastic of the Ethiopian church, and was often the de facto head of that church.^[3] Margary Perham describes the position as comparable to a Vicar-General.^[4] Beginning in the mid-17th century, the Ichege lived at Gondar while the capital was in that city. The Ichege followed the capital when it moved to Debre Tabor, Mekele and ultimately Addis Ababa.
Sebate — Administrator of the Debre Libanos Monastery and deputy to the Ichege.
Aqabe sa'at ("Guardian of the Church hours") -- Chaplain to the Emperor, who served as the third highest ecclesiastic. In earlier times, this office was held by the head of the abbots of Istifanos Monastery in Lake Hayq; the earliest recorded abbot of Istifanos to also serve as aqabe sa'at was Za-Iyasus during the reign of Amda Seyon I. This office is extinct.^[3]
Qomos — Canon, who has a role in the creation of tabots.^[5]
Lique Siltanat' — "Arch-hierarch" title originally granted only to the Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, but today is granted to the deans of most of Ethiopia's cathedrals.
Lique Liqawint — "Arch-scholar", head of all clergy in a province.^[6] This title was granted to the Dean and Abbot of the Ba'eta Le Mariam Monastery, the mausoleum church on the grounds of Addis Ababa's Imperial Palace, where Emperor Menelik II and Empress Zewditu are buried.
Qess-Priest. Leader of the Mass
Lique Diaqon — Archdeacon.^[7]
Diaqon — Deacon. In Ethiopian Christianity three deacons and two priests are required to correctly celebrate Mass.^[7]

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The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. One of the few Christian churches in sub-Saharan Africa originating before European colonization of the continent, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church dates back to the acceptance of Christianity by the Kingdom of Aksum in 330, and has between 36 million and 49.8 million adherents in Ethiopia. It is a founding member of the World Council of Churches. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is in communion with the other Oriental Orthodox churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria</span> Head of the Coptic Church from 1959 to 1971

Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria also called Abba Kyrillos VI, Coptic: Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ ⲋ̅ ;, was the 116th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark from 10 May 1959 to his death.

A catholicos is the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and, in some cases, it is the title of the head of an autonomous church. The word comes from ancient Greek καθολικός, derived from καθ' ὅλου from κατά and ὅλος, meaning "concerning the whole, universal, general"; it originally designated a financial or civil office in the Roman Empire.

Abune Tekle Haymanot was an Ethiopian saint and monk mostly venerated as a hermit. He was the Abuna of Ethiopia who founded a major monastery in his native province of Shewa. He is significant for being the only Ethiopian saint popular both amongst Ethiopians and outside that country. Tekle Haymanot "is the only Ethiopian saint celebrated officially in foreign churches such as Rome and Egypt." His feast day is 30 August, and the 24th day of every month in the Ethiopian calendar is dedicated to Tekle Haymanot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope Cyril IV of Alexandria</span> Head of the Coptic Church from 1854 to 1861

Pope Cyril IV of Alexandria (Abba Kyrillos IV), Coptic: Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲩ ⲇ̅ 110th Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. He was born David (Daoud) in 1816. Despite his relatively short papacy, he is regarded as the "Father of Reform" of the Coptic Orthodox Church in modern times. He is credited for establishing a great printing house and printing many Church books.

Yekuno Amlak ; throne name Tesfa Iyasus was Emperor of Ethiopia, and the founder of the Solomonic dynasty, which lasted until 1974. He was a ruler from Bete Amhara who became the Emperor of Ethiopia following the defeat of the last Zagwe king.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abune Paulos</span> 20th and 21st-century Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Abune Paulos was an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Patriarch from 1992 to his death in 2012. His full title was "His Holiness Abuna Paulos, Fifth Patriarch of the Orthodox Tewahido Church of Ethiopia, Ichege of the see of Saint Tekle Haymanot, Archbishop of Axum and one of the seven serving Presidents of the World Council of Churches."

Abuna is the honorific title used for any bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as well as of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church. It was historically used solely for the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Ethiopia during the more than 1000 years when the Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria appointed only one bishop at a time to serve its Ethiopian flock. When referred to without a name following, it is Abun, and if a name follows, it becomes Abuna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abuna Theophilos</span> 20th-century Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Abune Theophilos, also known as Abune Tewophilos, was the second Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. He officially succeeded Abuna Basilios in 1971 after he had assumed the role of acting patriarch upon Abuna Basilios's death in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abuna Takla Haymanot</span> Third Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Abuna Takla Haymanot or Abune Takla Haymanot was the third Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Abune Phillipos was the first Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

This article, dealing with the Coptic Orthodox Church in Africa, is about the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria in African countries other than Egypt.

Abuna Dioskoros, also called Aba Woldetensae, was the bishop of the dioceses of South West Shewa and Chebona Gurage diocese of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abuna Basilios</span> First bishop of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Abuna Basilios was an Ethiopian-born first Archbishop or Abuna, and later the first Patriarch, of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Abba 'Ěnbāqom was a religious leader of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and translator and author, e.g., of the Anqaṣa Amin. As Abbot at the leading monastery of Debre Libanos he became the Echage, the second highest ecclesiastical office, as well as head of all Ethiopian monasteries, and was often regarded as the most influential person in the Ethiopian Church.

Abune Mathias is the current Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church since 2013. His full title is "His Holiness Abune Mathias I, Sixth Patriarch and Catholicos of Ethiopia, Archbishop of Axum and Ichege of the See of Saint Taklehaimanot".

Abuna Yohannes was an Abuna, or head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the 14th century, during the reign of Emperor Amda Seyon. He was accused of simony by a group of Ethiopian clergy at the Royal Court.

Bartalomewos of Ethiopia was an Abuna, or head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church from 1398/99 to sometime after 1434; he succeeded Abuna Salama II. His tenure was a period marked by a series of doctrinal disputes in the Church, and at one point Bartalomewos was accused of denying the threefold nature of the Holy Trinity. Emperor Yeshaq appointed a committee to investigate this serious charge, whose members included graduates of the school at Istifanos Monastery in Lake Hayq.

References

↑ Munro-Hay, Stuart C. (2002). Ethiopia, the unknown land: a cultural and historical guide. I.B.Tauris. pp. 43f. ISBN 978-1-86064-744-4.
↑ Meinardus, Otto Friedrich August (2002). Two thousand years of Coptic Christianity. American Univ in Cairo Press. pp. 132–136. ISBN 978-977-424-757-6.
1 2 Munro-Hay, Ethiopia, pp. 42f
↑ Perham, The Government of Ethiopia, second edition (London: Faber and Faber, 1969), p. 108
↑ Munro-Hay, Ethiopia, p. 50
↑ Perham, Government, p. 109
1 2 Munro-Hay, Ethiopia, p. 48

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[Munro-1] Munro-Hay, Stuart C. (2002). Ethiopia, the unknown land: a cultural and historical guide. I.B.Tauris. pp. 43f. ISBN 978-1-86064-744-4.

[2] Meinardus, Otto Friedrich August (2002). Two thousand years of Coptic Christianity. American Univ in Cairo Press. pp. 132–136. ISBN 978-977-424-757-6.

[Munro-42-3] 1 2 Munro-Hay, Ethiopia, pp. 42f

[4] Perham, The Government of Ethiopia, second edition (London: Faber and Faber, 1969), p. 108

[5] Munro-Hay, Ethiopia, p. 50

[6] Perham, Government, p. 109

[Munro-Hay-48-7] 1 2 Munro-Hay, Ethiopia, p. 48

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Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles

Contents

Titles

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References