Funeral of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) Patriarch, Abune Paulos was held at the Church of the Holy Trinity here in Addis Ababa on Thursday August 23, 2012.
Higher level government officials, archbishops, administrators of various EOC churches and monasteries, Sunday school students and followers of the the EOC attended the funeral.
Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hailemariam Dessalegn on the occasion said Abune Paulos was a great father, who exerted maximum effort to realize the development endeavors of the country for the last 20 years.
He said Abune Paulos has also struggled to bring back various heritages of the country taken by foreigners and to get Ethiopia’s heritages inscribed by UNESCO.
In a message delivered through a representative, President Girma Woldegiorgis said Abune Paulos was a great father, who cared for all human beings and struggled to build tolerance among the people.
The President lauded the Patriarch’s efforts to help people, who are in need and also to build peace.
Addis Ababa City Mayor Kuma Demeksa on his part said the Patriarch significantly contributed to support the destitute and in the efforts to prevent HIV.
Representative of the World Council of Churches on his part said Abune Paulos has done a great job by encouraging and supporting countries to resolve conflicts peacefully.
The representative said the world will not forget the late Patriarch’s efforts to solve the crisis in the Sudan.
Abune Paulos, who is the fifth Patriarch of EOC, passed away last Wednesday at the age of 76.
He had been Patriarch of the EOC since 1992 and also served as a president of the World Council of Churches.
Born in Adwa, Tigray on 3 November 1935, Abune Paulos was also a World Peace Ambassador.His birth name was Gebremedhin Woldeyohannes.
The Patriarch studied at the Theological College of the Holy Trinity in Addis Ababa. Later he was sent to study at the St.Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and later undertook doctoral degree at Princeton Theological Seminary.
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Source: Ethiopia Radio and Television Agency (ERTA) – on Aug. 23, 2012. Originally titled “EOTC Patriarch laid to rest”.
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