Ethiopia: Information on the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC), the Patriarch's relationship with priests of the EOC, information on the relationship of the government of Ethiopia with priests of the EOC, and information on St. Mary's Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Addis Ababa

According to an article in the January-February 1997 issue of Ethiopian Review, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune (Abba) Paulos (Pawlos)

has faced massive opposition since the TPLF/EPRDF-led regime of Meles Zenawi helped him become a patriarch in July 1992 by ousting the former patriarch Abune Merkorios, who is now in exile in Kenya. According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church canon, a new patriarch cannot be appointed while the reigning one is still alive (8). 

According to the same source, on 7 January 1997 a hermit named Fekade-Selassie was killed in the St. Stephen church in Addis Ababa by Abune Paulos' bodyguard as he approached the Patriarch. Some witnesses claimed that the Patriarch himself also shot the hermit (ibid.). The Ethiopian Review added that disruptions of public events at which the Patriarch was present by church members opposed to the Patriarch's leadership of the EOC "have become common occurrences" (ibid.).

The Ethiopian Review of July-August 1997 carried a report stating that the British government had refused to issue Abune Paulos a transit visa for a stop in the UK on his way to the US, on the grounds that his presence in the UK would likely cause violence among the Ethiopian community in the UK. Abune Paulos' 1993 visit to London had been marred by violent protest, according to the report (10).

In a January 1998 article strongly critical of Abune Paulos' leadership of the EOC, Koki Abesolome accused the Patriarch of converting the EOC into an instrument of the Ethiopian government, adding that

under Abune Pawlos, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is undergoing a subtle reorganization along ethnic lines, that mirrors the philosophy of the tribal barons. In full conformity with [Ethiopian president] Ato Meles' constitution of tribal disunity, Tigrean priests are routinely sent to Tigray and Oromo priests are regularly assigned to Oromo regions under the direction and order of Abune Pawlos. This is not only new in the Church's history, but is also in violation of the very principles of Christianity that presents its Church as the center of the "uniting bond of peace" and love (Ethiopian Register, 21).

The following section deals with criticism of Abune Paulos from within the EOC and internal opposition to his leadership of the Church.

In an interview with Abune Gebriel, EOC Archbishop of Western Shoa, published in  the December 1997 issue of Ethiopian Register, the Archbishop stated that Abune Paulos, less than a month after he was elected Patriarch by the Holy Synod of the EOC, insulted the synod by referring to it as "a synod established by the Derg" [the former Ethiopian government, headed by Mengistu Haile Mariam](33). Abune Gebriel also stated that Abune Paulos had misappropriated EOC funds for the benefit of himself and members of his family (ibid.). In an article in the November 1997 issue of Ethiopian Register, Archbishop Abune Gebriel stated that Abune Paulos had harmed the EOC by mistreating Church members, causing his enemies within the Church to be detained, failing to defend persecuted Church members, and "violating the canons of the Apostles by usurping the authority of the Holy Synod," among other misdeeds (9). Moreover, Archbishop Abune Timotewos, the head of the EOC's Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission, accused Abune Paulos of illicitly diverting funds from the Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission to his personal bank account in New York (7,8).

The following section summarizes references to St. Mary's Church in the media.

According to a 24 October 1997 article in Addis Tribune, the "16th Annual conference of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's (EOC) Spiritual Council of the Patriarchate" opened on 21 October 1997 at St. Mary's Church in Addis Ababa, where Abune Paulos conducted a service.

St. Mary's Church is also mentioned in an ETV Television Network report of 8 June 1997, according to which a person was killed and six others were injured as a result of a fight that took place near St. Mary's Church in Addis Ababa on 7 June 1997. The incident occurred "after a bomb exploded during a fight between two youths" (ibid.).  This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Addis Tribune. 24 October 1997. "Ethiopia; 16th Annual EOC Holy Synod Meets." (Africa News Service 24 Oct. 1997/NEXIS)

Ethiopian Register [Avon, Minnesota]. January 1998. Koki Abesolome. "The Tormented Soul of A Cloned Patriarch: The Tension Between Evangelism and 'Evilgelism.'"

_____. December 1997. "Interview with His Grace Abune Gebriel, Archbishop of Western Shoa."

_____. November 1997. "Patriarch Pawlos' Crisis Deepens: Arch Bishops [sic] Accuse Him of Irreligious Behaviour."

Ethiopian Review [Atlanta]. July-August 1997. "Abune Paulos Was Denied Visa to Enter Britain."

_____. January-February 1997. "Patriarch's Bodyguard Killed A Hermit Inside A Church."

ETV Television Network [Addis Ababa, in Amharic]. 8 June 1997. "Ethiopia: One Killed, 6 Injured in Addis Ababa Bomb Explosion." (NES-AFR-97-159 8 June 1997/WNC)