Three people were killed in attacks on a church in southern Ethiopia on Saturday, according to reports from a religious media outlet. The violence unfolded against a backdrop of tension within the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church after rebel bishops formed their own synod in Oromia, the country’s most populous region. Archbishop of the Addis Ababa Diocese, Abune Henok, described the incidents in the Oromia city of Shashamene as “shameful and heart‑wrenching,” according to the Church‑affiliated Tewahedo Media Center (TMC).
The TMC reported that two Orthodox Christian youths were killed and four others injured when Oromia special forces attacked the church in Shashamene, located about 250 km (150 miles) south of Addis Ababa. It later added that sniper fire from nearby high‑rise buildings killed a woman and wounded additional people. Independent verification of these reports was not possible. Abune Henok called on the authorities in Oromia, the largest geographic region in Ethiopia, to halt the “persecution” of Orthodox Christians.
A statement issued by the Holy Synod urged clergy and the faithful to wear black in protest and called for peaceful demonstrations at churches at home and abroad on February 12. The unity of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church—one of the world’s oldest and comprising about 40 percent of the country’s 115 million people—is under threat after the rebel clergy’s breakaway move last month. Headed by Patriarch Abune Mathias for a decade, the Church has declared the breakaway synod illegal, excommunicated the bishops involved, and accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government of interfering in its affairs and effectively recognizing the “illegitimate group.”
Prime Minister Abiy, who is himself from the Oromo community, addressed cabinet members earlier in the week, urging the rivals to engage in dialogue and noting that both sides have their “own truths.” The breakaway bishops allege discrimination and linguistic and cultural hegemony by the Church, claiming that congregations in Oromia are not served in their native language—claims the patriarchate rejects. Orthodox leaders have long complained of religious persecution, including the burning of churches several years ago, and relations with the government have been strained in the past, notably during the Tigray conflict.
The World Council of Churches issued a statement on Friday expressing “deep concern” about the developments within the Ethiopian institution. “We call upon all political leaders in Ethiopia to support the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in its efforts to achieve unity and peace among its members,” said WCC General Secretary Jerry Pillay.
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