Zebene… return the cross of Abune Paulos to it’s rightful place, and perhaps through this act you can truely win the hearts of the people you would like to lead in faith. Humble yourself to God, and the people you serve like Jesus himself did before.

Re: Patriarch as Abune
Then, can be said that our Abune can be addressed as an English version of Patriarch which history came from Rome? If the Ethiopian Seynod sticks to the Ethiopian version and our “patriarchs” are addressed as Abunes (Ethiopian version) by any language, it could be adopted in the long run.

Re: Abune Petros
Well stated and shared.

Once again Thank you for more info. The portrait of Abune Teklehaimant was lingering in my memory after the last post, with its complete recollection of the one in this particular church with lions and tigers beneath and around him.

Whatever the origin of Abune Gebremenfes-Kidus, it is engrained in my being as he is Ethiopian and he is one of the rarest of portraits that seems to have some life during church services or any other time;as if he is there in life.

Latin Patriarcha, Greek Patriarchēs,
The ROOT-WORDS PATER & PATR, which are, the Latin words for FATHER. and the Greek word PATER (pa’ tar) for father
The title is used for some Old Testament fathers/leaders (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s 12 sons) and those who lived before the time of Moses.

In Christian churches it is a title given to bishops of important sees.
Historically it started in the 4th century to designate prominent Christian bishops. By the end of the 5th century, however, in the course of growing ecclesiastical centralization, it acquired a specific sense. After the Council of Niceaea in 325, the church structure was patterned on the administrative divisions of the Roman Empire; thus, each civil province was headed by a metropolitan, or Patriarch.
He leads the local synod, speaks in the name of the synod, which is a council of bishops. He is chosen by the synod he can be removed by the synod.

Now back to the beloved and blessed Martyr

Patriarch Abune Petros is of a higher order than those we know as “Official or appointed Patriarchs” All of them … Basilios, Theoflose Meqarios and now Pawlos, save the Venerable and Pius Patriarch Abune Teklehaimanot, who was described by those bishops and priests who were ሆዳምና ወንበደዎች like those of አባ ጳውሎስ አባ ገሪማ አባ መላኩ (ፋኑኤል) ለሎችም inside the church as a ”peasant monk.” In deed he was a follower of Christ who was the true Shepard of the poor and the peasant.

Patriarch Abune Petros gave his life for all Ethiopians, for our freedom. The Ethiopian people built a statue honoring his scarifies and to remind the generation to come his martyrdom. NOT the Church. Do you see the chains and machine GUN he was gunned down?

We LOVE him as the true follower of Christ

He is/was the true Father PATRIARCH of Ethiopian. Jesus Christ said, “There is no greater love than for a man to give his life for another.” Jesus said this about himself and those who truly followed his teaching

The burning question is who is following his example today??

Thanks for taking the time to see the link I sent.

Regarding your last question, the saint whom we habitually call ABO is Abuna Gabre-Menfeskidus; and he is different from Abuna Teklehaimanot. That is why they are remembered on two different days – the former on the 5th and the latter on the 24th of a given Ethiopian month. Again in church icons, the former is depicted with tigers and lions (whom he is told to had dominion over) whereas Abuna Tekle-haimanto’s icons usually display his 6 wings and the detached leg as a result of long standing prayers.

Abuna Gabre-Menfeskidus is said to be of Egyptian/Coptic origin (born of Simon and Ecclesia – though his mother’s name suggests Byzantine/Greek background). Also his Coptic background is not proved, nor is his name mentioned the Coptic Synaxarium. Anyway, his recognition in Ethiopia and our claim that he resided in Ethiopia for many years signifies the fact that Ethiopia was a fortress for various saints who fled from Asia minor (the middle East). After all, who forgets the story that Ethiopia received even the first followers of Mohammad with great sense of hospitality?

Aba Paulos of Ethiopia
had several saints, kings and queens who should have statues before Aba Paulos does. To name a few among several others, the Nine Monks from the East who introduced monasticism into Ethiopia, Abuna Saalama, King Ezana, Queen Sheba, King Kaleb, King Zeraycob, St. Tekelhaimanot, Abue Gebremenfeskidus, St. Arsema, St. Christos Samra, St. Lalibela etc., most whom canonized, do not have statues.

I just checked the website and there is much more than a brief history and I will take it step by step. His immediate image shows both feet standing.

The one in churches shows him with one leg and the detached leg graciously standing on its own separate from him near by. Is not Abune Teklehaimanot Abo also? Abo is observed on the 5th day of the month of Ethiopian calendar as Teklehaimanot is observed on the 24th day of Eth. cal. I am somewhat puzzled.

Point I: Good contribution for precisely up dating readers on the first Patriarch. That history, I am familiar. In some circles, it is believed to be Greek Patriarchs prior to the first Ethiopian one. The word Abune by habit or misconception seems to be equated with Patriarch.

Point II: Although the best I remember the word deity is from Greek mythology, the application in the English language has a broader translation.
Deity = divinity, god, goddess, idol, divine being, holy being. I chose the “holy being” word for Abune Teklehaimanot. (May be as in BeTSue Abune?). I believe there are well-versed and knowledgeable people in Ethiopian Orthodox churches. In that spirit, I will try to use a different word in the future.

Thank you so very much for the link to the history of Abune Teklehaimanot (may be the only human who lived in Ethiopia and whose life size portrait is displayed among Saints in just about all Ethiopian Tewahdo churches.)

Lack of knowledge on his history? In fact, as I learnt more about Abune Teklehaimanot of the 1970s by asking, I was encouraged to do the same about the 13th century Abune. I agree that we need to know our religion and general history. Such occasions cannot be underestimated for the opportunity to do so. Thank you very much beyond words. I will copy the whole thing and know it.

Your last question: In my opinion, in his own time Abune Teklehaimanot of 20th century holds that place. To Mengisu Haile Mariam,”You are not above Ethiopia’s fifty million people and its union”. “You are every authority of every department”. In addition, a contributor had added his life style, courage, determination and persistence. In tha very moment it easy to feel his spirit of being as he was very eloquent a gifted orator , an advocate, activist and a blessed attorney of the people. His kind of priest along with Abune Petros set such a high standard. To even imagine considering Aba Paulo’s and especially with the latest image of his grandiose image of a statue high lights in agreement to his critics.

please change your name to jegnaw ethiopiaw
not gonderaw

First off, thanks for the editor for posting the message as a REMEMBRANCE for Abuna Petros.

1. Abuna Petros was one of the Diocesan bishops in Ethiopia, he was not a Patriarch. During his time the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) did not have her own patriarch (the first, Abuna Basilios was exalted to be a Patriarch in 1959). Till then the EOTC was led by Coptic (Egyptian) archbishops.

2. For Eden 1. As Ethiopians we are supposed to know the story of Abuna Tekle-Haimanot of Ethiopia, the 13th C. saint. Even the Egyptians have recognized him as a saint, and built a church after his name in Alexandria. The following link of Abuna Takla’s Church in Alexandria gives you a glance of the biography of this great Ethiopian saint (
http://st-takla.org/Story-index.html)

By the way, we do not associate the word “deity” or divinity with human beings. This is solely reserved for the Triune God only. Abuna Teklehaimanot is a human-being; not a divine deity.

I forgot to add this: Talking about Abuna Petros, the martyr, do we have now the likes of Abuna Petros? I wonder why even at least the EOTC does not have one bishop who could not condemn the crimes that have been committed against the Ethiopian people by the current oppressive WEYANE regime. Needless to say, unless this brutal regime is not removed from Ethiopia, both the country and its historical church (the EOTC) could not be freed from the pathetic bondage they are in.

The renegade and the traitor is “Tagay” Paulos. His name is Ato Gebremedhin. He is gang Gebremedhin. And the martyr is Abune Petros who was executed by Mussolini of Italy in Addis Abeba in 1936 on this day.

Sadly EOTC is negotiating with the traitor Paulos forgetting the martyr Abune Petros who gave his life as a sacrifice for Ethiopia. Thanks to him, we inherited a free Ethiopia only to let her fall in the hands of an enemy within. In the hands of Weyane and gang Gebremedhin.

Look at Ethiopia and Ethiopians today. Observe what we are doing or not doing. What do you see? Did Abune Paulos die in vain?

Thank you so much beyond words. I saw the clip about two years back on abaymedia.com and recently refreshed on the arbegnoch site. It had continued to remain in my memory as someone what heroes are made up of. He was very special.

Patriarch Teklehaimanot/20th century in discussion is worth comparing to his name sake the deity Abune/Kidus Teklehaimanot cherished and close to millions of Ethiopian Orthodox followers. Although very close to my heart because I grew up with his huge portrait around, unfortunately I do not know the details of his history either. What is stack in my mind is the continued image of the loss of one of his legs from persistent prayer.