Christianity in Ethiopia
by Wegahta (a research paper for an African History class)
At the time of the birth of Christ, King Bazen ruled Ethiopia. He reigned from 8 B.C. to 9 A.D., a total of seventeen years. He is well remembered in Ethiopia because his reign was contemporary with the birth of Christ.
The ancient Ethiopian people were followers of Judaism. Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia during the reign of Queen Candace who ruled Ethiopia and Meroe form 42 to 52 A.D. She received the news of Christian faith from her treasurer who had gone to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage and who upon his return was baptized at Gaza by Philip he Apostle, one of he twelve disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts. 8:26-40). In this manner the seed of Christianity was planted, spreading gradually in Aksum. Therefore, we can say that it is almost nearly two thousand years since Christianity came to Ethiopia.
Nevertheless, despite these early conversions, it is Emperor Ezana who is renowned for the celebrated act of introducing Christianity as the official religion in the forth century.
According to Ethiopian tradition, A Greek philosopher from Tyre (Syria) by the name of Meropius was sailing across the Red sea on his way to India. With him were two Christian boys from his family named Frumentius and Aedeesius who were under his tutelage. Passing by the Aksumite coast, Meropius headed his boat towards land to replenish his supply of victuals and water. When he reached the coast he died suddenly and the two boys were found weeping under the shade of a tree. They were then taken to the Bahr Negash, the governor of Medri Bahri (now Eritrea) who took them to the Aksumite Emperor Tazair. When presented before the Emperor, the boys related to him all that had happened. Upon hearing what had be fallen them, he sympathized with the children and ordered that they should be brought up and taught with his children at his palace. The Emperor ordered that they go to Bete Katin School along with his children and here for seven years they learned Geez under the tutorship of the head-priest Emberem. When the boys grew up they became courtiers and proved to be endownd with wisdom and good manners. Thus, the Emperor made Frumentius, who was the cleverer, his secretary, and Aedesius his cupbearer and he held them in great affection.
Not long after, the Emperor died and since his tow sons Ezana and Saizana were minors, their mother Queen Ahyewa (Sophia) became Queen Regent. Queen Ahyewa, having observed that Frumentitus and Adeesius were wise and clever, appointed the former as Head Librarian and guardian of her children and made the latter responsible for the wine cellars of the palace. In addition to his function as head of the library, Frumentius instructed the two children in the faith of Christianity, mainly through the books of the Gospel. He was thus able to convert them to Christianity without much difficulty and established the Christian Church in Ethiopia.
When young princes Ezana and Saizana came of age and ascended the throne, Aedesiuls took his leave and went to his native land Tyre and remained there. Frumetius, however, remained behind and continued to encourage the dissemination of Christianity among the people.
Frumentius then, upon the orders of the monarch, traveled to Alexandria in Egypt to bring back a bishop to Ethiopia, as Alexandria was at that time the center for the spread of Christianity as the Holy City of St. Mark. He informed Patriarch Athanasius who was the head of the Coptic Church of Alexandria of the work done for Christianity in the Aksumite Empire and stressed the need for a bishop who would be the spiritual head of this people. The Patriarch, aware that he could find no more suitable person than Frumentius who thoroughly knew the people, their language and culture, consecrated him Bishop of Ethiopia, blessing and vesting him with full authority. Frumentius returned to Ethiopia and became the Aksumite Empires? first Archbishop and was given the name Abune Selama (father of peace) and Kesate Birhan (revealer of light). He spent the rest of this life preaching the gospel and seeking to convert people from Judaism and paganism to Christianity.
In the same year that Frumentius came back to Ethiopia, the great Emperor Ezana and his brother Saizana officially accepted the Christian religion in 320 A.D. making Ethiopia one of the first Christian countries on earth. After the two brothers became Christians, Ezana took the name Abreha which means in Ethiopic ?he illuminates? and saizana became Atsebeha which means ?he bring the dawn?. These names were baptismal or throne names and similar names were usually conferred upon all the kings who ruled after them. After their won conversation they ordered that all Ethiopians should be baptized. Apart from those few who believed in Judaism and some pagans most of the people of Ethiopia accepted Christianity.
Though Christianity came to Ethiopia in 42 A.D. it was in 320 A.D. that Ethiopia officially accepted Christianity and that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church became the state of church. Ezana the great, after adopting Christianity as the state religion, make it his main pre-occupation in the affairs of state.
St. Yared
The Ethiopian Re?ese Liqawant (head professor), Yared, was born on April 25, 505 A.D. in the city of Aksum to the parents of Adam and Tauklia. Yared?s lineage was from the priesthood of Aksum. When he was six years old, his parents gave him to the tutorship of Yishaw, who was a teacher in Aksum. Under this teacher, Yared completed the study of the alphabet and began to study the Psalms. However, he had difficulty learning his lesson and was send back to his parents by his teacher. His father having died in the meantime, his mother, Tauklia, placed him in the hands of her brother. Abba Gedeon, who was the parish priest, with the request that he should raise and educate Yared. Abba Gedeon was the teacher of the Old and New Testaments in the courtyard of the church of St. Mary of Zion and he had begun translating the Holy Scriptures into Geez. Yared lodged with Abba Gideon and began studying along with the other children but for years he lagged behind the others in this studies and so was constantly reprimanded and punished by the new teacher. Yared was not bright student and however much he studied he could not grasp his lessons. Because of his slow-mindedness he became an object of derision and mockery to his classmates. One day his uncle whipped him severely, saying: ?You should not lag behind your classmates and you should pay attention to your studies as the others do.?
Yared became bitter about his failure as a student and decided to go elsewhere and start a new life. He therefore fled from the school and while journeying to his uncle?s birthplace, Medebai Wele, he was caught by a heavy shower and was obliged to take cover under a tree near a spring called Maikerah, some four kilometers outside the city of Askum. While sheltering under the trees, pondering and feeling remorse about his failure, he witnessed an even that was to change his whole life. His attention was caught by a caterpillar struggling time and again despite repeated failures, to climb up the trunk to tree to eat of its leaves. Six times the caterpillar failed but on the seventh trial it struggled with all its might and was able to reach its destination. Watching the perseverance of the caterpillar, Yared wept, comparing his weakness with the strength of the grub. After seeing the stamina of the tiny creature, he decided to return and take up his studies again. He reasoned that man was a creature superior to a caterpillar and as the caterpillar had, with repeated effort, reached its goal and eaten of the leaves of the tree so he too should bear the consequences such as whipping, study diligently and succeed. Having decided this, he returned to his spiritual teacher, Abba Gedeon and begged to be forgiven and to be taken back to continue his studies. Abba Gideon relented and began teaching him the Psalms. Besides continuing his studies, Yared went to the church of St. Mary of Sion every day and prayed to God saying: ?Oh! Merciful Lord, give me wisdom!? God heard the child?s prayer and endowed him with insight and intelligence. His sudden brightness filled his teacher with wonder. Thus he was able to complete the study of the Old and New Testaments within a short time. Since Yared was now a highly gifted student, he finished his studies with astounding results and thereafter became a deacon. From his teacher Abba Gedeon he had learned Hebrew and Greek and was fluent in both these languages. In his understanding of the only Scriptures and knowledge of foreign languages he became the equal of this teacher, even though he was only fourteen years old, Yared took over the chair and profession of his tutor and began giving lessons.
In the Book of May II Sinksar (Lives of the Saints) is related the full story of how Yared created the chant and the notation system inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. At this time there was no set of rules for the liturgical chant. In this same book it is written that when Almighty God wanted to establish sacred chants, as he was desirous and being praised upon earth, three Angels were sent from paradise in the form of three birds to teach Yared heavenly songs in his own language. The birds circling in the air in front of Yared sang to him sweet and captivating new songs, while Yared stood there listening, mesmerized by the sweet sound. The birds began praising him in his language (Geez) saying ?Oh! Famed, honored (Yared) and full of grace! Praised be the womb that bore you, praised be the breast that? you sucked. They then carried him off to heavenly Jerusalem where twenty-four celestial angels were singing. St. Yared standing before the seat of the Trinity and the secret songs conceived in this heart and revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
When he was brought back to Askum, Yared went to the chief priest of the church of Aksum at nine in the morning and standing in front of the Holy Ark of Sion raised his hands and sang: ?Praised be the father, praised be the Son and praised be the Holy Ghost. He first created Sion and heaven and revealed to Moses the Law of the Old Testament?. He called this song, ?Ariam? which means supreme heaven, abode of God.
While Yared was in heaven he had heard the angels praising God with musical instruments such as the inzira (a large flute), the masinquo (a one-stringed violin), the tsenatstil ( a type of sistrum), the kebero ( a large drum), and the begena (great harp). He thus had these instruments made and used them to accompany his hymns from the angels in heaven saying: ?Praised be God, Holy, Holy, Holy God, Your hallowed Lordshhip! Ruler of heaven and earth. How wondrous is the song I heard from the angels in heaven!? Now Yared set to work and composed a large number of chants for the hymns and liturgy of the church. He also invented a system of musical signs and symbols, and introduced the mequamia (paying stick) to provide support during the long services of his sacred dance.
The Emperor who ruled Ethiopia during this time was Gebre Meskel (525-539) the son of the renowned Emperor Kaleb. The fact that during his regin Ethiopia produced her greatest musician and poet, Saint Yared, who as the creator of Zema(music) and powetry, surpassed all, please the Emperor so much that hw was content to conduct the matters of sate and leave to Yared the affairs of the Church. Togetehr they instituted the celebration of Hosana (Palm Sunday) in the city of Aksum. This custom, which they established, is still practiced in churches throughout Ethiopia.
St. Yared was the author of many religious songs and hymns devoted to particular occasions of the seasons and of the months and to the days and festivals of the satins and the Holy Trinity. He divided his hymns into four parts, each with its own melody. These songs were for the four seasons of the years: winter, summer, spring and autmn. He named the great book comprising these church hymns, Deggua. Deggua means in Tigrinia, De?guaa that in turn means lamentations, songs of mourning or higher understanding. The great Degua is also called ?Mahlete yared? meaning treasury of hymsn or songs of Yared. He prepared the deggua in the three modes of chanting used in the church and known respetively as Geez. Ezel and Ararai. Geez means the plain chant for ordinary days, Ezel means a more measured beat for funerals; Ararai means a lighter, free mood for great festivals. The three modes: Geez, Ezela nd Ararai are supposed to represent the father, the Son and the Holy Ghost respectively.
Yared sough permission from the kings? courtyard to live in solitude and to dedicate his life to prayer, mediation, and to his music. He departed from Axum and went to the Semien Mountains where he lived until his disappearance. According to Ethiopian traditions, there is a belief that he did not die, and that he will come back in the future to perform, preach, and teach. He was sainted after his disappearance.
Bibliography
1. Gday, Belai. Ethiopian Civilization Addis Ababa:
2. Hancock, Graham, u Toronto Doubleday Canada LTD. 1992
3. Taddesse Tamra. Church and State in Ethiopia 1270-1527 Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972.
by Wegahta (a research paper for an African History class)
At the time of the birth of Christ, King Bazen ruled Ethiopia. He reigned from 8 B.C. to 9 A.D., a total of seventeen years. He is well remembered in Ethiopia because his reign was contemporary with the birth of Christ.
The ancient Ethiopian people were followers of Judaism. Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia during the reign of Queen Candace who ruled Ethiopia and Meroe form 42 to 52 A.D. She received the news of Christian faith from her treasurer who had gone to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage and who upon his return was baptized at Gaza by Philip he Apostle, one of he twelve disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts. 8:26-40). In this manner the seed of Christianity was planted, spreading gradually in Aksum. Therefore, we can say that it is almost nearly two thousand years since Christianity came to Ethiopia.
Nevertheless, despite these early conversions, it is Emperor Ezana who is renowned for the celebrated act of introducing Christianity as the official religion in the forth century.
According to Ethiopian tradition, A Greek philosopher from Tyre (Syria) by the name of Meropius was sailing across the Red sea on his way to India. With him were two Christian boys from his family named Frumentius and Aedeesius who were under his tutelage. Passing by the Aksumite coast, Meropius headed his boat towards land to replenish his supply of victuals and water. When he reached the coast he died suddenly and the two boys were found weeping under the shade of a tree. They were then taken to the Bahr Negash, the governor of Medri Bahri (now Eritrea) who took them to the Aksumite Emperor Tazair. When presented before the Emperor, the boys related to him all that had happened. Upon hearing what had be fallen them, he sympathized with the children and ordered that they should be brought up and taught with his children at his palace. The Emperor ordered that they go to Bete Katin School along with his children and here for seven years they learned Geez under the tutorship of the head-priest Emberem. When the boys grew up they became courtiers and proved to be endownd with wisdom and good manners. Thus, the Emperor made Frumentius, who was the cleverer, his secretary, and Aedesius his cupbearer and he held them in great affection.
Not long after, the Emperor died and since his tow sons Ezana and Saizana were minors, their mother Queen Ahyewa (Sophia) became Queen Regent. Queen Ahyewa, having observed that Frumentitus and Adeesius were wise and clever, appointed the former as Head Librarian and guardian of her children and made the latter responsible for the wine cellars of the palace. In addition to his function as head of the library, Frumentius instructed the two children in the faith of Christianity, mainly through the books of the Gospel. He was thus able to convert them to Christianity without much difficulty and established the Christian Church in Ethiopia.
When young princes Ezana and Saizana came of age and ascended the throne, Aedesiuls took his leave and went to his native land Tyre and remained there. Frumetius, however, remained behind and continued to encourage the dissemination of Christianity among the people.
Frumentius then, upon the orders of the monarch, traveled to Alexandria in Egypt to bring back a bishop to Ethiopia, as Alexandria was at that time the center for the spread of Christianity as the Holy City of St. Mark. He informed Patriarch Athanasius who was the head of the Coptic Church of Alexandria of the work done for Christianity in the Aksumite Empire and stressed the need for a bishop who would be the spiritual head of this people. The Patriarch, aware that he could find no more suitable person than Frumentius who thoroughly knew the people, their language and culture, consecrated him Bishop of Ethiopia, blessing and vesting him with full authority. Frumentius returned to Ethiopia and became the Aksumite Empires? first Archbishop and was given the name Abune Selama (father of peace) and Kesate Birhan (revealer of light). He spent the rest of this life preaching the gospel and seeking to convert people from Judaism and paganism to Christianity.
In the same year that Frumentius came back to Ethiopia, the great Emperor Ezana and his brother Saizana officially accepted the Christian religion in 320 A.D. making Ethiopia one of the first Christian countries on earth. After the two brothers became Christians, Ezana took the name Abreha which means in Ethiopic ?he illuminates? and saizana became Atsebeha which means ?he bring the dawn?. These names were baptismal or throne names and similar names were usually conferred upon all the kings who ruled after them. After their won conversation they ordered that all Ethiopians should be baptized. Apart from those few who believed in Judaism and some pagans most of the people of Ethiopia accepted Christianity.
Though Christianity came to Ethiopia in 42 A.D. it was in 320 A.D. that Ethiopia officially accepted Christianity and that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church became the state of church. Ezana the great, after adopting Christianity as the state religion, make it his main pre-occupation in the affairs of state.
St. Yared
The Ethiopian Re?ese Liqawant (head professor), Yared, was born on April 25, 505 A.D. in the city of Aksum to the parents of Adam and Tauklia. Yared?s lineage was from the priesthood of Aksum. When he was six years old, his parents gave him to the tutorship of Yishaw, who was a teacher in Aksum. Under this teacher, Yared completed the study of the alphabet and began to study the Psalms. However, he had difficulty learning his lesson and was send back to his parents by his teacher. His father having died in the meantime, his mother, Tauklia, placed him in the hands of her brother. Abba Gedeon, who was the parish priest, with the request that he should raise and educate Yared. Abba Gedeon was the teacher of the Old and New Testaments in the courtyard of the church of St. Mary of Zion and he had begun translating the Holy Scriptures into Geez. Yared lodged with Abba Gideon and began studying along with the other children but for years he lagged behind the others in this studies and so was constantly reprimanded and punished by the new teacher. Yared was not bright student and however much he studied he could not grasp his lessons. Because of his slow-mindedness he became an object of derision and mockery to his classmates. One day his uncle whipped him severely, saying: ?You should not lag behind your classmates and you should pay attention to your studies as the others do.?
Yared became bitter about his failure as a student and decided to go elsewhere and start a new life. He therefore fled from the school and while journeying to his uncle?s birthplace, Medebai Wele, he was caught by a heavy shower and was obliged to take cover under a tree near a spring called Maikerah, some four kilometers outside the city of Askum. While sheltering under the trees, pondering and feeling remorse about his failure, he witnessed an even that was to change his whole life. His attention was caught by a caterpillar struggling time and again despite repeated failures, to climb up the trunk to tree to eat of its leaves. Six times the caterpillar failed but on the seventh trial it struggled with all its might and was able to reach its destination. Watching the perseverance of the caterpillar, Yared wept, comparing his weakness with the strength of the grub. After seeing the stamina of the tiny creature, he decided to return and take up his studies again. He reasoned that man was a creature superior to a caterpillar and as the caterpillar had, with repeated effort, reached its goal and eaten of the leaves of the tree so he too should bear the consequences such as whipping, study diligently and succeed. Having decided this, he returned to his spiritual teacher, Abba Gedeon and begged to be forgiven and to be taken back to continue his studies. Abba Gideon relented and began teaching him the Psalms. Besides continuing his studies, Yared went to the church of St. Mary of Sion every day and prayed to God saying: ?Oh! Merciful Lord, give me wisdom!? God heard the child?s prayer and endowed him with insight and intelligence. His sudden brightness filled his teacher with wonder. Thus he was able to complete the study of the Old and New Testaments within a short time. Since Yared was now a highly gifted student, he finished his studies with astounding results and thereafter became a deacon. From his teacher Abba Gedeon he had learned Hebrew and Greek and was fluent in both these languages. In his understanding of the only Scriptures and knowledge of foreign languages he became the equal of this teacher, even though he was only fourteen years old, Yared took over the chair and profession of his tutor and began giving lessons.
In the Book of May II Sinksar (Lives of the Saints) is related the full story of how Yared created the chant and the notation system inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. At this time there was no set of rules for the liturgical chant. In this same book it is written that when Almighty God wanted to establish sacred chants, as he was desirous and being praised upon earth, three Angels were sent from paradise in the form of three birds to teach Yared heavenly songs in his own language. The birds circling in the air in front of Yared sang to him sweet and captivating new songs, while Yared stood there listening, mesmerized by the sweet sound. The birds began praising him in his language (Geez) saying ?Oh! Famed, honored (Yared) and full of grace! Praised be the womb that bore you, praised be the breast that? you sucked. They then carried him off to heavenly Jerusalem where twenty-four celestial angels were singing. St. Yared standing before the seat of the Trinity and the secret songs conceived in this heart and revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
When he was brought back to Askum, Yared went to the chief priest of the church of Aksum at nine in the morning and standing in front of the Holy Ark of Sion raised his hands and sang: ?Praised be the father, praised be the Son and praised be the Holy Ghost. He first created Sion and heaven and revealed to Moses the Law of the Old Testament?. He called this song, ?Ariam? which means supreme heaven, abode of God.
While Yared was in heaven he had heard the angels praising God with musical instruments such as the inzira (a large flute), the masinquo (a one-stringed violin), the tsenatstil ( a type of sistrum), the kebero ( a large drum), and the begena (great harp). He thus had these instruments made and used them to accompany his hymns from the angels in heaven saying: ?Praised be God, Holy, Holy, Holy God, Your hallowed Lordshhip! Ruler of heaven and earth. How wondrous is the song I heard from the angels in heaven!? Now Yared set to work and composed a large number of chants for the hymns and liturgy of the church. He also invented a system of musical signs and symbols, and introduced the mequamia (paying stick) to provide support during the long services of his sacred dance.
The Emperor who ruled Ethiopia during this time was Gebre Meskel (525-539) the son of the renowned Emperor Kaleb. The fact that during his regin Ethiopia produced her greatest musician and poet, Saint Yared, who as the creator of Zema(music) and powetry, surpassed all, please the Emperor so much that hw was content to conduct the matters of sate and leave to Yared the affairs of the Church. Togetehr they instituted the celebration of Hosana (Palm Sunday) in the city of Aksum. This custom, which they established, is still practiced in churches throughout Ethiopia.
St. Yared was the author of many religious songs and hymns devoted to particular occasions of the seasons and of the months and to the days and festivals of the satins and the Holy Trinity. He divided his hymns into four parts, each with its own melody. These songs were for the four seasons of the years: winter, summer, spring and autmn. He named the great book comprising these church hymns, Deggua. Deggua means in Tigrinia, De?guaa that in turn means lamentations, songs of mourning or higher understanding. The great Degua is also called ?Mahlete yared? meaning treasury of hymsn or songs of Yared. He prepared the deggua in the three modes of chanting used in the church and known respetively as Geez. Ezel and Ararai. Geez means the plain chant for ordinary days, Ezel means a more measured beat for funerals; Ararai means a lighter, free mood for great festivals. The three modes: Geez, Ezela nd Ararai are supposed to represent the father, the Son and the Holy Ghost respectively.
Yared sough permission from the kings? courtyard to live in solitude and to dedicate his life to prayer, mediation, and to his music. He departed from Axum and went to the Semien Mountains where he lived until his disappearance. According to Ethiopian traditions, there is a belief that he did not die, and that he will come back in the future to perform, preach, and teach. He was sainted after his disappearance.
Bibliography
1. Gday, Belai. Ethiopian Civilization Addis Ababa:
2. Hancock, Graham, u Toronto Doubleday Canada LTD. 1992
3. Taddesse Tamra. Church and State in Ethiopia 1270-1527 Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972.
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