Based on reports regarding the
conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region (starting on November 4, 2020),
the historic Debre Damo monastery was reported to be destroyed or
heavily damaged during the conflict, with allegations suggesting it
was targeted by drones and heavy weapons.
👉 Here
are the key details regarding this situation:
Destruction of Debre Damo:
Reports from February 2021 indicated that the 6th-century Debre Damo
monastery was destroyed, with buildings on top of the mountain
ruined and ancient, invaluable manuscripts and treasures looted.
Allegations of Drone
Involvement: Reports from the Mekelle Diocese and various observers
alleged that many monasteries, including Debre
Damo, were bombed by UAE-supplied drones and other weapons during
the genocidal jihad.
The
Drone Controversy: While there were widespread allegations, some
experts and investigators argued that there was no definitive
evidence of United Arab Emirates (UAE) drones being directly
used by the Ethiopian Air Force, suggesting instead that the
Ethiopian government used its own Chinese-made Wing Loong drones or
Iranian-made drones. However, evidence indicated that the UAE
operated Wing Loong II drones from a base in Assab, Eritrea, and
provided significant logistical support to the Ethiopian military
during the conflict.
Looting and Destruction: In
addition to the bombing, the Debre Damo monastery was reportedly
looted by forces involved in the conflict.
Debre Damo is an isolated,
6th-century monastery located in Tigray, known for its
inaccessibility and its collection of ancient manuscripts.
🔥 Genocide Alert:
Attacks on Ethiopia's oldest Churches and Monastries.
There are new reports that
the joint Eritrean & Ethiopian fascists forces are bombarding
Debre Damo, one of THE OLDEST MONASTRIES of the Orthodox Church (6th
century), with heavy artilleries. Dozens of civilian casualties,
mainly monks, also reported
Saint Abune Aregawi
(also called Za-Mika'el 'Aragawi) was a sixth-century monk,
whom tradition holds founded the Debre Damo in Tigray,
Ethiopia – said to have been commissioned by Emperor Gebre Mesqel
of Axum.
👉 Courtesy: The Times, UK, by Jane Flanagan, Tuesday
February 16, 2021.
Ethiopia’s
most famous monastery has been bombed and looted of its ancient
treasures according to reports emerging from the north of the country
where fighting has left tens of thousands of people at risk of
starvation.
Aid
organisations warned they are “preparing for the worst” after
four months of conflict between state forces and regional fighters in
Tigray that has killed thousands amid reports of multiple massacres.
Authorities in the capital have confirmed the rapes of scores of
women and girls.
International
experts have also raised the alarm over reports of “cultural
cleansing” in the heritage-rich region with thefts and destruction
of centuries-old artefacts at historically significant sites. In one
recent alleged incident, troops from neighbouring Eritrea, which is
backing government forces, ransacked manuscripts from the remains of
the remote sixth-century Debre Damo monastery after clambering 80ft
up a cliff to reach it.
Debre Damo is
one of Ethiopia's most important monasteries and can only be accessed
through a steep cliff with a rope.
Other buildings
on the flat-topped mountain that were also “completely destroyed”
included the monks’ ancient dwellings and the earliest existing
church in Ethiopia that is still in its original style, according to
the Europe External Programme with Africa.
Attacks have
also been reported in recent months at the Church of St Mary of Zion,
which many Ethiopian Christians believe houses the Ark of the
Covenant.
Specialists
have warned that Tigray’s stolen gems could be spirited out of the
country and sold to collectors. Video taken by Belgian journalists
reporting on the conflict apparently showed an Eritrean tank loaded
with plunder.
Alessandro
Bausi, an expert in Ethiopic texts and manuscripts at Hamburg
University, said he had heard from multiple sources that key sites
were being targeted and “irreplaceable” artefacts destroyed or
pillaged.
Mary’s Meals,
a Scottish-based charity working in Tigray, said that millions of
people were at imminent risk of starvation and lacked access to
proper sanitation or medical care.
It said: “The
region’s capital, Mekelle, is being overwhelmed by displaced and
traumatised people arriving every day. Many are unaccompanied
children who have lost their parents.”
👹 The
Anti-Christian and Anti-Ethiopian Conspiracy: Israel after The Flesh
(Hagarites + Ishmaelites + Edomites) vs ✞
Israel after The Spirit (Jacobite Christians)
* The Deadliest country no one wants to report truthfully about is
Ethiopia.
*
The heathen Gallas/ Oromos have been waging a genocidal Jihad against
Ethiopian Christians since their Ottoman Turkey and Lutheran
Protestant conspired migration into Ethiopia in the 16th
Century.
Since the beginning of the genocidal Jihad in the Northern Ethiopian
regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar in November 2020 till today:
❖ 1.5 Million Orthodox
Christians were brutally Massacred
❖ 200.000 Orthodox
Christian Women, children and nuns were Raped and abused
❖ Over a Million
Ethiopians were forced to migrate to other countries
❖ 4.4 million
internally displaced people severely impacted by conflict,
hostilities and climate shocks
❖ Over a Million female
Ethiopian slaves sold to Arab countries
❖ 20 million Ethiopian
forced to experience food insecurity
by
the UAE funded and armed terrorist and fascist Oromo Islamic army of
the Nobel Peace Laureate genocidal Prime
Minster, Abiy Ahmed Ali and his UN, Arab, Israeli, Turkish, Iranian,
European, American, Russian, Ukrainian and
African allies.
Diplomatic staff in Tel Aviv and members of Israel’s Knesset have
voiced concerns about the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC)
and its perceived lack of commitment to addressing the longstanding
issues surrounding the Deir es-Sultan Monastery in Jerusalem.
The EOTC oversees several religious sites in the Holy Land, including
locations in Jerusalem and surrounding areas under both Israeli and
Palestinian administration, many of which are situated in areas of
significant religious importance.
However, Deir es-Sultan is particularly noteworthy due to its
historical significance. Ethiopia claims ownership of this site in
the Old City of Jerusalem, a claim that dates back nearly three
millennia to the time of King Solomon.
Monks, monastery leaders, and local tour guides emphasize that the
monastery—perched atop the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at
Golgotha, the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and near his
resurrection—serves as a major destination for pilgrims and
tourists.
Scholars highlight that the Ethiopian presence in Jerusalem has faced
challenges in the modern era, especially during the “Era of the
Princes,” a century characterized by decentralized rule that lasted
until Emperor Tewodros II unified power in 1855.
During this period, Ethiopian monks and nuns encountered repeated
attempts by Egyptian Copts to gain control of the site, which
Ethiopia asserts has been under its stewardship since the time of the
biblical Queen of Sheba.
Ethiopia maintains that the location served as the encampment for
Makida, the Queen of Sheba’s retinue, during her visit to King
Solomon.
It was later recognized as an Ethiopian site and eventually
transformed into a monastery of what became the state church—the
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Ethiopian Ambassador to Israel Tesfaye Yetayew explained that despite
historical evidence supporting Ethiopia’s claim to the site for
3,000 years, the dispute remains unresolved. He noted that the
conflict escalated in the modern era, particularly as Ethiopia’s
central government weakened due to internal power struggles.
While the EOTC manages around seven monasteries and churches in
Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and near Jericho’s River Jordan, the
contested monastery at Golgotha remains the most sensitive issue.
Tesfaye pointed out that Israel enforces a law known as the “Status
Quo,” established during the Ottoman period, which regulates
relations among religious communities at holy sites.
“Although the monastery is administered by the EOTC, there are
competing interests, and the Israeli administration prefers to
maintain the Ottoman-era status quo,” he stated. The Ottoman Empire
was the last long-standing governing authority in the region before
the British Mandate took control after World War I.
“Currently, Ethiopia holds services at two churches within the
complex—Holy Saviour and St. Michael—but undertaking renovations
or obtaining basic municipal services like water and electricity is
challenging under the Status Quo. Ethiopia does not possess a formal
title deed due to this arrangement,” Tesfaye told journalists in
Tel Aviv.
He noted a recent improvement: a house that was damaged by a fallen
tree has been repaired. “During his visit to Israel in March,
Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos visited the monastery and spoke
with the monks, who described their harsh living conditions. Our
Foreign Minister raised the issue with his Israeli counterpart,
Gideon Sa’ar, which led to the repair,” the Ambassador added.
“This case has persisted for nearly three centuries, but we remain
hopeful for gradual progress,” he added.
He also highlighted the vibrancy and impressiveness of Ethiopian
religious ceremonies and holiday events in Jerusalem, which should
prompt authorities to offer better support to the monks. However, he
expressed disappointment that the leadership of the Ethiopian
Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) is not pursuing the matter with
sufficient urgency.
A recent opportunity arose when Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar
visited Addis Ababa. “The Israeli Foreign Minister met with the
EOTC Synod, but the church leadership did not raise the issue,”
Tesfaye stated.
Nonetheless, he assured that the Ethiopian diplomatic mission is
actively working to safeguard Ethiopia’s interests regarding the
monastery.
Knesset Member Tsega Melaku emphasized that Ethiopia is the only
Sub-Saharan African country with religious property in Israel. “We
have done our utmost to support the Ethiopian church in its dispute
with the Egyptian Copts over Deir es-Sultan,” she said.
“I remember working with former MK Shlomo Molla to improve the
lives of the monks, but they have faced challenges as well,” Tsega,
who emigrated from Ethiopia to Israel at age 16, remarked during a
press conference with Ethiopian journalists in Jerusalem last month.
“We persuaded the relevant Israeli authorities to assist the
Ethiopian monastery, but progress has been slow, partly due to the
frequent changes in monastery leadership and the fact that some
leaders are abroad for months at a time. We were—and remain—eager
to support them,” she explained.
Melake Selam Gebrekidan Ejegu, treasurer of Deir es-Sultan Monastery,
told Capital that the prolonged conflict has left the church feeling
frustrated.
“From the Patriarch down, the EOTC leadership has repeatedly
engaged with the Israeli government, but there has been no
improvement for 240 years. It is now clear that this issue cannot be
resolved by the Synod alone; it requires direct
government-to-government intervention,” he stated.
“When problems arise, the Synod does not seek to involve the
Israeli administration directly. Instead, they prefer the Ethiopian
government to take the lead in discussions,” Melake Selam added.
Currently, more than twenty monks and nuns reside at the monastery.
“Our urgent request is for the Ethiopian government to negotiate
with Israeli authorities to renovate the monastery, which is in a
serious state of disrepair,” he appealed.
MK Pnina Tameno, who shares Ethiopian-Jewish heritage with Tsega,
emphasized the deep historical ties between Ethiopia and Israel,
which should continue to strengthen socially, culturally, and
politically.
“We are working on this, and we must continue to do so,” she
stated during a press conference at the Knesset on November 19,
referring to the Israeli government and lawmakers’ role in
fostering bilateral relations.
The Ethiopian Deir es-Sultan Monastery is particularly appealing to
tourists interested in early Christian history, Ethiopian Orthodox
tradition, and unique cultural heritage sites.
It represents a centuries-old African presence atop one of
Christianity’s holiest sites—the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—and
embodies Ethiopian historical claims, legends of Solomon and Sheba,
and a distinct rooftop community deeply connected to the crucifixion
and resurrection of Jesus. Its story provides a unique narrative that
is often overlooked by mainstream tourism.
The “Status Quo” regulation, formalized by Ottoman authorities in
1863 concerning Deir es-Sultan, stipulates that no physical or
administrative changes may be made to the site without government
approval. It was intended to prevent recurring disputes, particularly
between the Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox churches, over possession
and rights.
♰ History does not know the conventional way and does not believe
in chance. Everything that happened in the past will definitely
respond today. And St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery is a
monumental confirmation of this opinion.
Founded in the summer of 1108 on the occasion of the victory over the
Polovtsians, the church was consecrated in honor of Archangel
Michael. He was considered the patron of military affairs - work
worthy of princes. The temple was the first among others to receive
golden domes and began the tradition of gilding them. It was the
domes that suffered the greatest losses in 1240 during the Mongol
invasion - the Mongols damaged the cathedral and removed its gilded
baths. But this did not prevent the temple from being reborn in full
beauty in two centuries.
Demolition of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral by Bolsheviks
At the beginning of the summer of 1919 Bolshevik (Communist)
government moved to Kyiv from Kharkiv. They started the
nationalization of buildings and property.
In the 1930s, Soviet historians called into question the known
historical facts regarding the age of the cathedral. They emphasized
that the medieval building had undergone major reconstructions and it
hadn’t preserved the original Byzantine style. In its place, they
planned a new administrative center for the Ukrainian Soviet
Socialist Republic.
The cathedral was declared to belong particularly to the Ukrainian
Baroque architectural style, rather than to the 12th-century
Byzantine style. This conclusion was encouraged by the Soviet
government to demolish the entire monastery. All the professors
signed the demolition act except for Mykola Makarenko, who stood his
ground and refused to do so. As a consequence, he was arrested and
eventually sentenced to death in Tomsk, Russia in 1938.
The cathedral saw the hetman's greatness and the Ruin, the prosperity
of Kyiv and the destruction of its churches during the "godless
five-year plan". It took about 60 years for the St. Michael's
Golden-Domed Monastery to be restored in the same way to which modern
Kyivans are accustomed. It was restored so that the church could
stand up for them again in 2013-2014. Then, for the first time in 8
centuries, the bells of the monastery sounded the alarm, and its
walls became a place of rest and hiding for the participants of the
Revolution of Dignity.
History does not believe in chance. It creates symbols, and then,
century after century, turn by turn, strengthens them. Whether it's a
temple wall or a baby surrounded by lambs, those destined to stand up
for the people will surely be reborn to fulfil their historic
purpose.
😇
'White Ethiopians' Singing Hymn to St. Michael in Ethiopic/ Geez |
የቅዱስ
ሚካኤል ግዕዝ መዝሙር በነጭ ኢትዮጵያውያን
አንደበት
😇 Commemoration
of the Archangel Saint Michael- የሕዳር
ሚካኤል
Ethiopian
Orthodox Tewahedo Church honors Saint Michael (Kidus Mikael); the
Angel of mercy; on the 12th of each month of which two of them are
great annual feasts of the saint – on Hidar 12 (November 21) and
Senie 12 (June 19). His name Michael means “who is like God”.
Saint
Michael is one of the seven Archangels, who is always standing
besides God’s throne and is honored for defeating Devil at God’s
command (Rev.12:7-9).
In
addition to the Holy Bible, "Dersane Michael" contains the
miracles of St. Michael. Archangel Saint Michael is powerful and the
guardian of the souls and fighter against evil. He is often painted
in the walls of every Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church followers
with a flaming sword and spear, which pierces the devil.
❖ On
Hidar / ሕዳር
፲፪/
12 (November 21):
1.
Crowned and became the Arch of the Archangel’s
Saint
Michael is one of the seven Archangels, who is always standing
besides God’s throne and is honored for leading the army of Holy
Angels and defeated Satan and the rebellious angels into Hell.
Revelation 12:7 On this day God crowned him with his glory and mercy
and become the Arch of the Archangel's.
2.
The Commander of the Lord’s Army
Joshua,
the son of Nun, saw him in great glory and was frightened by him and
fell on his face to the earth and said to him, "Are you for us,
or for our adversaries?" So he said, "No; but as Commander
of the army of the Lord... I have given Jericho into your hand, ...
and its king." (Joshua 5:13-15, 6:2)
3.
The Exodus of Israel from Egypt through the help of the Arch Angle
Michael
Exodus
14:19-22:
19
Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s
army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved
from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of
Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to
the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the
other all night long.
21
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night
the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it
into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went
through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right
and on their left.
23
The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots
and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of
the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at
the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed[a] the
wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the
Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is
fighting for them against Egypt.”
26
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so
that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots
and horsemen.” 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at
daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing
toward[b] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water
flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army
of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of
them survived.
29
But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of
water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the Lord saved
Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians
lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty
hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared
the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
Michael,
is the commander of the angels, came down from heaven, and rolled
back the stone from the mouth of the tomb, and announced the women
“Christ is risen from the dead”.
St.
Paul observes that the Hebrews “ all our fathers were under the
cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto
Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Cor. 10:1-4; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal.
3:27).
There
is a common ritual practiced by the devotees in order to commemorate,
worship and give thanks. Ethiopian traditional bread – Difo Dabo,
roasted barley – Kolo in the name of St. Michael are being
prepared and shared in the church.
🙏 May the prayer of
Archangel Saint Michael be up on us!
