Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church

The Eritrean Tewahedo Orthodox Church ( Tigrinya ተዋህዶ ቤተ ክርስትያን ኤርትራ Tewahədo Bet'ə K'rstian Ertra, Italian Chiesa ortodossa Eritrea) is a Christian church in ancient Near Eastern Eritrea. The church, which - based on historical relations with the Coptic Church - as a result of autonomy of Eritrea in 1993 split from the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church, has 2 million members in Eritrea.

Already in the late 1920s, was founded by the Italian colonial power in the Colonia Eritrea Eritrean Orthodox Church, in the elimination of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The aim was to reduce the influence of Ethiopia in Eritrea. After the occupation of Ethiopia by Italy in 1936, both churches were reunited.

1998 appointed Coptic Pope Shenouda III of the. Bishop Philip for the first Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church and releasing them at the same time in autocephaly under reluctant recognition by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

After the death of Philip ( † 18 September 2002) was first Abuna Yaqob († 1 December 2003) and then in 2004 Patriarch Abuna Antoniyos (since January 2006, under house arrest established by church bodies breach of good manners, allegedly because beating a nun ). International Christian relief organizations recognize the deposition of the Patriarch of the Eritrean government to influence, because of his statements against the persecution of Christians in Eritrea.

After his dismissal canonically controversial 2006 Bishop Dioscorus was appointed by the Eritrean government to head of the church, but so far not widely recognized as a patriarch can only be appointed after the death of the previous one. The 79 -year-old Abuna Antoniyos was arrested on 27 May 2007, as Amnesty International announced in a "urgent action" in June 2007.

The liturgical language is Ge'ez, but which is no longer used in everyday life.

The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church - Cathedral is located in Asmara and bears the name Nda Mariam.