Church demands protection as 60 Orthodox Christians killed in Ethiopia

The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has condemned the Oct. 24 killing of more than 60 people in two attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state, calling on the government to protect Orthodox Christians and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The attacks come weeks after members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) urged parties involved in armed conflicts across the country to end hostilities and pursue dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

In a statement of condolence issued on Monday, Oct. 26, the General Assembly of the Holy Synod said it received “with profound sorrow” a report from the Arsi Eparchy about the deaths of faithful following “brutal and merciless attacks” in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia regional state.

“The horrific and appalling massacres, forced displacements, and physical and property damage inflicted upon our innocent Orthodox Christian faithful in the Arsi Eparchy and in various other parts of our country have continued unabated and have been worsening over time,” the synod said.

The Church leaders recounted that on Oct. 20 and Oct. 24, 14 of their faithful were killed at a place locally known as Gora Silingo, in Angada Kebele, Merti Woreda, and 46 others were killed at Tereta Chole Birbo in Sherka Woreda.

They added that the homes of 20 faithful were completely burned down and that more than 20 people sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment in hospitals. The synod recalled that numerous faithful have previously been killed in districts within the same zone.

The synod strongly condemned the attacks, saying they are “entirely unacceptable under the teachings of any religion and are incompatible with the human rights of all people.”

The killings, the Church leaders said, “violate the constitutional rights to religious freedom and to life, contradict both religious principles and the natural law of humanity, undermine our national values of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, and constitute inhumane acts that deserve unequivocal condemnation.”

The synod strongly urged the relevant government authorities to publicly condemn the attacks and uphold the constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and freedom of worship.

In addition to bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring the rule of law, the authorities were called upon to provide the necessary legal protections to prevent a recurrence.

“We call upon the government to provide the necessary protection to our faithful wherever they may be, so that they are not subjected to similar attacks,” the synod said.

It also urged the relevant security authorities to give the matter special attention, provide the necessary protection until the problem is resolved, and take effective measures to prevent further threats and attacks.

The Orthodox Church leaders extended their condolences to the families of the deceased and to all Ethiopians.

“We pray that God Almighty will grant rest to the souls of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives unjustly and bestow upon them the honor of martyrdom. The Holy Church continues to pray for them and wishes comfort and consolation to all those who mourn,” they said.

The General Assembly resolved that on Oct. 27 following the Divine Liturgy, memorial prayer services are to be conducted in all monasteries and churches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church throughout the world.

The synod also resolved that an appointment be arranged for the General Assembly to meet and hold discussions with the relevant senior government official, after which “appropriate efforts shall be undertaken to achieve a lasting solution to this problem.”

Catholic bishops respond

In their statement dated Oct. 1, the CBCE members expressed sorrow over violence in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, and other regions, saying that war destroys lives, communities, and property and leaves hatred, resentment, and vengeance that can endure for generations.

“Rather than resolving differences, war serves only to deepen divisions and multiplies suffering,” the Catholic leaders said.

They highlighted the suffering of vulnerable people, particularly children, women, the elderly, and the sick, and appealed to Ethiopians to regard the lives and suffering of others as their own, saying that peace is a shared responsibility.

“It is our heartfelt prayer that all disputes may be settled through genuine dialogue and that all forms of conflict may cease,” the Catholic bishops said.

The CBCE members called for peace rooted in truth, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

“Such a peace reflects the values of the Gospel, advances the common good, upholds the sacred dignity of the human person, and corresponds to the will of God for His people,” they said.

The CBCE members’ statement followed Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 30 appeal for dialogue amid renewed hostilities in Tigray and the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.

Ethiopia is facing renewed fighting nearly four years after the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. Tensions between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) remain unresolved, including disputes over political power, regional autonomy, disarmament, and territory.

In September, the TPLF joined six other armed groups in an alliance reportedly seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s government.

A Sept. 29 Al Jazeera report described intensified fighting between federal forces and the TPLF and its allies. Government forces and their allies claimed to have captured Alamata, a strategic town about 75 miles south of Mekelle, following days of fighting.

The report said fighting was continuing across Tigray, Amhara, and Afar, with TPLF forces also taking Erebti in Afar.