The Ethiopian church’s priesthood is not studied in general, but there are theological seminaries in Addis Ababa and Harar. Individual monasteries also teach special subjects in theology or church music, and monasticism is widespread.
Each community also has its church school, which provided Ethiopian education until 1900. The liturgy and scriptures are traditionally written in Ge’ez, but both have been translated into Amharic, Ethiopia’s main modern language. In Ethiopia, the church claimed more than 30 million followers in the early twenty-first century.
Children and adults who are obese often find it difficult to boost their self-confidence. With ridicule at school and work, among family and peers, these individuals begin to suffer from poor self image. Having thinner friends who can fit into fashionable clothes as compared to their baggy outfits, makes them feel like trash. They begin to look down upon their appearance and begin to shy away from social gatherings.
Orthodox Ethiopian Christians’ religion and practice combine elements of Miaphysite Christianity as it has evolved in Ethiopia over the centuries. Christian beliefs include, among other things, belief in the Lord, veneration of the Virgin Mary, angels, and saints.
What does the Ethiopian Orthodox Church believe?
According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the faith includes no non-Christian elements other than those contained in the Old Testament, which are supplemented by those found in the New Testament. When an Ethiopian Christian is in need, he or she refers to a hierarchy of Kidusan (angelic messengers and saints) who conveys the faithful’s prayers to God and carries out the divine will.
Priests speak on behalf of the congregation through more formal and frequent ceremonies, and only priests are allowed to join the inner sanctum of the normally circular or octagonal building, which houses the Tabot (“ark”) dedicated to the church’s patron saint. The Tabot is placed on the head of a priest and escorted in procession outside the church on major religious holidays. The Tabot is the one who is consecrated, not the church. Most parishioners stay in the outer ring throughout several services, where Debteras sing hymns and dance.
