Origins

Tewahedo (Ge'ez: ተዋህዶ täwaḥədo) is a Ge'ez word meaning "being made one", cognate to Arabic tawhid.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia (1917 edition) article on the Henoticon: around 500 bishops within the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem refused to accept the "two natures" doctrine decreed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451, thus separating themselves from the rest of Christianity since that time.^[6] This separate Christian communion came to be known as Oriental Orthodoxy. The Oriental Orthodox Churches, which today include the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, are referred to as "Non-Chalcedonian". These churches themselves describe their Christology as miaphysite, but outsiders often describe them as monophysite.^[7][8]

Jesuit interim

Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) wished to attempt the task of conversion, but this did not happen. Instead, Pope Paul III sent out João Nunes Barreto as Patriarch of the East Indies, with Andrés de Oviedo as bishop; and from Goa envoys (followed by Oviedo) went to Axum.

2021 – present

Following the Tigray war, four Archbishops in Tigray announced the formation of a new and independent structure on May 7, 2021, accusing the Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahdo Church of not opposing the war on Tigray, and of being too closely aligned with the perpetrators.^[3][9] Following the Tigray war, four Archbishops in Tigray announced the formation of a new and independent structure on May 7, 2021, named the autocephaly of the See of Selama Kessate Birhan, the High Administration of Tigray Orthodox Tewahedo Church. This was in response to allegations that the Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahdo Church had not appropriately opposed the war on Tigray and was too closely aligned with the war's perpetrators.^[3][9] They also alleged that the Synod did nothing to protect the churches and monasteries in Tigray from destruction and that they withheld financial support from the region.^[2][3] The Axum massacre in November 2020, when 100–800 civilians in Axum were killed by the Eritrean forces, was commonly cited as one example.^[10] The massacre was carried out in the center of Axum, near the Church of Our Lady of Zion, one of the most important holy sites in the Tigrayan Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The church was also looted and damaged.

The first formal communication between the two churches occurred in February 2023, when the Ethiopian Church released a letter in which they requested to talk to the Tigrayan church leaders about reconciliation. Rather than being addressed to the See of Selama Kessate Birhan, Patriarchate of the Tigray Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the letter was addressed to individual archbishops, which caused further irritation amongst the Tigray leaders, as the Ethiopian Church refused to acknowledge their institution.^[11]

Also in February 2023, the Tigrayan Church released its first liturgy book in Tigrinya and Ge'ez.^[11]

In March 2023, the General Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church released a statement saying they would send a delegation to Tigray to attempt to repair the schism between the two churches. The Tigrayan church leaders rejected the statement, with some priests saying it did not include an apology for the Ethiopian Church's actions.^[9] That same month, the Tigrayan bishops appointed a bishop to oversee Tigrayan church members in the diaspora; this move was criticized by the Ethiopian Church.^[9]

On July 16, 2023, the Tigray Orthodox Tewahdo Church council nominated 10 episcopates five in Tigray and five abroad.^[12][13] Early in the month, the Ethiopian Church officially apologized for their lack of action during the war, but Tigrayan leaders did not express any interest in reconciling, with some criticizing the apology for not recognizing the full magnitude of the injustices committed during the war.^[14][15]

Liturgical language

The traditional liturgical language of the Tigrayan Orthodox Tewahedo Church is Geʽez. This was the language of the early Aksumite Christians of the region. Though Geʽez no longer has native speakers, the language is still used for church liturgical functions and festivities. However, the sibket, or sermons, are normally given in the local Tigrinya language. Geʽez is currently being replaced by Tigrinya as the principal language for church services.^[16]

Biblical canon

The Tewahedo Church Biblical Canon contains 81 books, including almost all of those which are accepted by other Orthodox and Oriental Christians. The exception are the Books of the Maccabees, at least some of which are accepted in the Eastern Orthodox and other Oriental Orthodox churches, but not in the Tewahedo churches. The books of Meqabyan, which are accepted instead, have an etymologically connected name, but rather different content. The Tigrayana Orthodox canon, the Eritrean Orthodox canon, and the Ethiopian Orthodox canon are identical.

• The Narrower Canon also contains Enoch, Jubilees, and three books of the Meqabyan;
• The Broader Canon includes all of the books found in the Narrower Canon, as well as the two Books of the Covenant, Four Books of Sinodos, a Book of Clement, and Didascalia;

Similarities to Judaism

Like the Ethiopian Church, the Tigrayan Church places a heavier emphasis on Old Testament teachings than one might find in Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, or Protestant churches and its followers adhere to certain practices that one finds in Orthodox or Conservative Judaism. Like some Eastern Christians, Eritrean Christians traditionally follow dietary rules that are similar to Jewish Kashrut, specifically with regard to how an animal is slaughtered. Similarly, the consumption of pork is prohibited, but unlike Rabbinical Kashrut, Ethiopian cuisine allows the mixing of dairy products with meat.

Women in the Church

Women are prohibited from entering Tigrayan church temples during menses; they are also expected to cover their hair with a large scarf (or a shash) while they are in church, as described in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11.

List of Bishops or Episcopsates

The leaders of the Tigray Orthodox Tewahdo Church’s See of Selama Kesate Birhan elected ten candidates as bishops on July 16, 2023.^[5] The new bishops will lead dioceses both in the Tigray region and abroad.

• Abba ZeSelassie Markos
• Abba Haile Michael Aregai
• Abba Estifanos Gebre Giorgis
• Abba Mehari Habte (Nibure Id)
• Abba Elias Gebre Kidan
• Abba ZeraDawit Brehane
• Abba Yemanebrihan Welde Samuel
• Abba Tsegegenet Kidane Welde
• Abba Sereqebrihan Welde Samuel
• Abba Yohannes Kebede