Ethiopia's Orthodox Church, one of the oldest in the world, has claimed that the crisis that rocked it after a breakaway synod was established by a group of archbishops is now resolved.
The three archbishops, who had created their synod in the Oromia region, the largest and most populous in this Horn of Africa country, have apologized, the Church said Wednesday evening on Facebook.
Accusations of discrimination
“
Recent issues within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have been resolved through face-to-face discussions
,” the statement said.
The three archbishops were expelled last month after their split, considered illegal by religious authorities.
They will be reinstated, adds the text.
The announcement came hours after a meeting between the two parties and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, himself from the Oromo community and whom the patriarchy had accused of supporting dissidents.
“
This Church is strong and we have decided to bring back the lost sheep
,” Abiy Ahmed said at the meeting.
The Tewahedo Church, led by Patriarch Abune Mathias for a decade, brings together around 40% of the 115 million Ethiopians and has been badly shaken by this crisis, against a backdrop of political tensions between the federal state and the Oromia region.
Read alsoUkraine accuses the Orthodox Church of collaborating with Russia
In early February, eight people were killed in an attack on a church in Oromia, according to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
“
Beatings, intimidation, expulsions from churches (...) and unlawful detentions were perpetrated in various regions against individuals and clergy who opposed those who said they had formed a
“ new synod”, also denounced the EHRC.
The dissenting priests accused the Church of discrimination and linguistic and cultural hegemony, arguing that it does not speak to congregations in Oromia in their native language.
Complaints swept away by the patriarchy, which had a time called for peaceful demonstrations, finally canceled.
In its statement on Wednesday, the Church says it will allocate new means to extend the service in the Oromo language in Oromia but also in other regions in the south of the country.