Abune Merkorios
This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2011) |
Abuna Paulos (5th) Abune Mathias (6th) | |
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Orders | |
Consecration | Holy Trinity Cathedral |
Personal details | |
Born | Ze-Libanos Fanta 14 June 1938 |
Died | 3 March 2022 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | (aged 83)
Nationality | Ethiopian |
Denomination | Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church |
Residence | Addis Ababa |
Abune Merkorios (born Ze-Libanos Fanta; 14 June 1938 – 3 March 2022[1]) was an Ethiopian bishop and the fourth Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, elected after the death of Abuna Takla Haymanot in May 1988. Merkorios remained Patriarch for three years until 1991, when the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) overthrew the Communist military junta known as Derg in Addis Ababa.[2][3] After spending almost three decades living in exile, he was allowed to return to Addis Ababa and be recognized as Patriarch alongside Abune Mathias.[4]
Early life
Known before his elevation to the episcopacy as Abba (Father) Ze-Libanos Fanta, he was born into the minor
Abdication and exile
Abune Merkorios was ousted by EPRDF regime in 1991, particularly on the orders of then Prime Minister Tamrat Layne. He was followed on the throne of the Ethiopian Church by Abune Paulos, the fifth official patriarch of the church, although many Ethiopian churches in the diaspora continued to recognize Abune Merkorios as Patriarch in opposition to Paulos.[3] The following year he fled to Kenya, later relocating to the United States in 1997, where churches had begun to secede from the synod in Ethiopia following the leadership of Abuna Yesehaq. These churches formed a synod in exile and eventually both synods were mutually excommunicated.[4]
Efforts to heal the threatened schism had shown promising results through late 2011 and early 2012. However, the sudden deaths of both Patriarch Abune Paulos and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi caused efforts to slow down as the synod in Ethiopia went through a leadership transition. During the reconciliation negotiations, the synod in exile insisted that Abune Merkorios be allowed to resume the Patriarchal throne, something that neither the synod in Ethiopia nor the Ethiopian government was willing to consider. With the election of Abune Mathias as the 6th Patriarch of Ethiopia on 28 February 2013, reconciliation talks were ended for the time being.
Reinstatement
With the encouragement of the newly elected Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, reconciliation talks between the two rival synods began anew, and on 27 July 2018 representatives from both synods reached an agreement.[4] According to the terms of the agreement, Abune Merkorios was reinstated as Patriarch alongside Abune Mathias, who will continue to be responsible for administrative duties, and the two synods were merged into one synod, with any excommunications between them lifted.[5]
On 1 August 2018, Abune Merkorios entered Ethiopia for the first time in 26 years, flying together with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
On 4 March 2022, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced Abune Merkorios' death, thus ending the dual patriarchy after four years.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Unifying Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Church dies". Yahoo! News. AFP. 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
- ISSN 1684-4173.
- ^ S2CID 59042446.
- ^ a b c Dickinson, Augustine (31 July 2018). "Decades-Old Schism in the Ethiopian Church Mended". Ethiopicist Blog. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
- ^ Kibriye, Solomon (27 July 2018). "Ethiopian Orthodox Unity Declaration Document in English". Orthodoxy Cognate Page. Retrieved 8 August 2018.