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The main reasons for putting the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church in Greece in turmoil are:
- The Greek Department of Religious Affairs under the Greek Ministry of Education has not responded adequately to the clear and protocol-based letters of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's Holy Synod and the Holy Patriarch, which were sent a year ago.
- The department has been giving undue weight to the letters of the temporary Archbishop of the Diocese, Abune Elias, who is currently in conflict with Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers in Greece and is acting against the EOTC's Holy Synod decisions.
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Special Report
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The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Greek Orthodox churches are among the oldest churches in the world. The first Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church patriarch, ''Aba Fremnatos or Selama'', of Greek origin, visited Ethiopia in the 4th century. In our modern world, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, founded in Hellenica, goes back about half a century.
In accordance with the 1996 (1989) proclamation and directives on the legal recognition and registration of Greek religious institutions, the “Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church of Athens” was registered as a religious institution in the country, and legal experts prepared an internal regulation that the government approved. The Church of the Holy Virgin of Athens, the Holy Covenant of Mercy, was registered as a religious institution in the country; this is now called (Somatio); the members of the Synod at that time informed His Holiness Abune Paulos (Dr.), the Fifth Patriarch of Ethiopia, about this matter. The recognition gave the church additional legal personality and also solved the problem of receiving documents that had been processed since 1994, according to a letter sent by the Synod. This association has a tax number (Tax No) of 997874156 and was established under the name “AΙΘΙΟΠΙΚΗΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗΣ ΕΚΛΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΑΘΗΝΑΣ” to raise funds, raise funds, and resolve problems related to religious issues. Later on, the spiritual service continued under the name of the committees approved by His Holiness the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Abune Gerima (Dr.).
In March 2025, the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church sent two bishops, Archbishop Timotiwos and Archbishop Petros, to Athens to visit the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Greece based on the report of the previously appointed Special Study Committee on the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Greece. The bishops, Abune Timothy and Abune Petros, were tasked with investigating the church’s affairs and presenting a recommendation to the Holy Synod.
During their stay in Athens, the bishops announced the reinstatement of Abba Woldemichhael's priesthood, which had been suspended nine years ago. The bishops then announced that a new administrator would be appointed for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Kidane Mihret Church in Athens and returned to Ethiopia to report the situation to the concerned Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
One of the main causes that affected the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Greece is the communication lines that provided information which is contrary to the facts on the ground. Archbishop Elias, the temporary Archbishop of the Diocese of Greece, provided incorrect information to the Religious Affairs office under Greece Ministry of Education about the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Greece. Among the erroneous letters that he wrote to Greece religion department includes to asign Priest Ayele without any knowledge of the Ethiopian Orthodox Holly synod and submitted to the Greek Ministry of Religion causes a major uproar in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Athens.
Archbishop Elias has never taken any action to resolve the problems of the believers in Greece. That was why, in May,2026, when he came to the church in Atanas, Bohali 12 hundreds of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believers protested against him by writing slogans and crying loudly in front of dozens of Athens police officers.
That was why, during his recent travel to Athens, he was obliged to spend consecutive Sundays in a hotel with individuals who were not only hated by the community in general, but also known for insulting and beating believers in the church. These individuals have been charged in Greek courts for committing illegal acts and terrorizing more than seventy female believers, and their case is currently in progress, including one who beat and bled a person in a church. However, surprisingly, these people are friends of Archbishop Elias.
Thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believers are deeply saddened by the actions of the temporary Archbishop of EOTC in Greece, Elias. Last month, Archbishop Elias's trip to Athens caused a stir among followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Greece. Although the Archbishop said he was in Athens to preach the Gospel, he spent weeks in a hotel and was said to have given a sermon in a hotel, which is completely contrary to Orthodox tradition, and this action of his has become a topic of talk of the town in Athens among Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church followers.
Thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believers are deeply saddened by the actions of the temporary Archbishop of EOTC in Greece, Elias. Last month, Archbishop Elias's trip to Athens caused a stir among followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Greece. Although the Archbishop said he was in Athens to preach the Gospel, he spent weeks in a hotel and was said to have given a sermon in a hotel, which is completely contrary to Orthodox tradition, and this action of his has become a topic of talk of the town in Athens among Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church followers.
It is understood that Archbishop Elias visited various Greek offices last month and presented various misleading pieces of information to the Greek government, both in writing and orally, regarding the Athens Kidanemireth Church, which has been in Greece for over half a century, and the approximately 6,000 square meter prayer area in Athens, which the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Association purchased in the name of the Churche's full legal name.
Not only this, but the Archbishop also accused the Orthodox community in Greece, the ''Somatio'' Organization, of improper opening of the prayer house in Spata; and the Archbishop accused the head of the Greek police in Spata of being involved in assisting Ethiopian Orthodox Christians.
Not only this, but the Archbishop also accused the Orthodox community in Greece, the ''Somatio'' Organization, of improper opening of the prayer house in Spata; and the Archbishop accused the head of the Greek police in Spata of being involved in assisting Ethiopian Orthodox Christians.
The main purpose of this special report is to provide the following key points, which can provide vital information even to the Greek Religious Department under the Ministry of Education.
That is why thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believers in Greece are deeply saddened by the actions of the Archbishop, Elias.
Having said that, the main reasons for putting the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church in Greece in turmoil are:
That is why thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believers in Greece are deeply saddened by the actions of the Archbishop, Elias.
Having said that, the main reasons for putting the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church in Greece in turmoil are:
- The Greek Department of Religious Affairs under the Greek Ministry of Education has not responded adequately to the clear and protocol-based letters of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's Holy Synod and the Holy Patriarch, which were sent a year ago.
- The department has been giving undue weight to the letters of the temporary Archbishop of the Diocese, Abune Elias, who is currently in conflict with Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers in Greece and is going against the EOTC's Holy Synod decisions.
According to a source from Addis Ababa, the discussion between the Patriarch and the Ambassador has been concluded, with the ambassador promising to grant a visa to the assigned father. However, many still criticize the embassy for not addressing the Ethiopian Church’s request quickly, considering the long-standing historical relations between Ethiopia and Greece. For this reason, the Ministry of Religion has been sending endless questions to the Greek Embassy in Addis Ababa. As a result of all these current situations, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Greece (Athens Kidanemihret church) is in a serious turmoil
Greek Orthodox Church in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
3/ The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church should appoint a suitable diocesan bishop for Greece. It is easy to understand that Archbishop Elias, who is over ninety years old, is not only incapable of properly governing or leading the believers in Greece, but also has been accused of deliberately complicating matters in the Swedish court where he lives, and that he cannot lead the church in Greece. Therefore, appointing a new bishop for Greece is a task of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and is one of the key issues in the solution. In addition to that, Archbishop Elias should also stop his relations with individuals who have corrupted the church and whose cases are still pending in Greek courts.
What are the necessary solutions to come out of this paradox?
As has been tried to explain in the introduction of this report, it was attempted to explain that the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Greek Church have plenty of similar histories. Not only do both churches have a history spanning thousands of years, but the future of the world also requires many areas where both churches and countries can work together.
Therefore, according to Gudayachn's analysis, to solve the problem of EOTC in Greece, the following measures should be taken with all concerned parties. These are:
Therefore, according to Gudayachn's analysis, to solve the problem of EOTC in Greece, the following measures should be taken with all concerned parties. These are:
1/ The Greek Religious Affairs Office in Athens, Greece and the Greek Embassy in Addis Ababa should provide the necessary positive response for the Holy Synod, the highest and final executive body of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which has more than 80 million followers in Ethiopia and around the world, for its request of Abba Kiros Tsegaye, the high-ranking official who was appointed to Greece to consolidate the Ethiopian Orthodox faith, to complete the necessary visa and work formalities and enable him to come to Greece. The fact that this matter has been dragging on for more than a year is not only a big mistake by itself, but also a matter that deeply saddens Ethiopians both at home and in Greece.
2/ The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church followers in Greece are currently in a difficult situation, deprived of a church to pray in. The Orthodox in Spata, who bought the prayer house with their own money, have been locked up by the Greek Ministry of Religion and are being subjected to psychological warfare, with the police coming regularly on Sundays. Who would believe that this is happening in Europe, especially in Greece, the birthplace of Orthodoxy? But it is happening.
Hundreds of Greek citizens living in Ethiopia have been using a church in Addis Ababa that has been preserved for more than half a century. However, in Athens, Greece, the believers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have been facing problems and have not even been able to celebrate the Easter holiday this year. Therefore, the Ministry of Religion should meet with the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church to respect the right of Ethiopians to have a church, at least by lifting the ban on their own property in Spata.
Hundreds of Greek citizens living in Ethiopia have been using a church in Addis Ababa that has been preserved for more than half a century. However, in Athens, Greece, the believers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church have been facing problems and have not even been able to celebrate the Easter holiday this year. Therefore, the Ministry of Religion should meet with the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church to respect the right of Ethiopians to have a church, at least by lifting the ban on their own property in Spata.
3/ The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church should appoint a suitable diocesan bishop for Greece. It is easy to understand that Archbishop Elias, who is over ninety years old, is not only incapable of properly governing or leading the believers in Greece, but also has been accused of deliberately complicating matters in the Swedish court where he lives, and that he cannot lead the church in Greece. Therefore, appointing a new bishop for Greece is a task of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and is one of the key issues in the solution. In addition to that, Archbishop Elias should also stop his relations with individuals who have corrupted the church and whose cases are still pending in Greek courts.
In summary, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is in a serious crisis in Greece. The church’s appointed Archbishop Elias has also used his authority as a pontiff to hand over the site of celebrating Meskel Demera, which is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site that thousands of believers celebrate every year, for over thirty years in Athens, Greece. This holiday is a world-famous event in which Queen Elena of Greece went to Jerusalem and found the True Cross of Christ thousands of years ago. This holiday is a historical event in the history of the world when she went to Jerusalem and dug it up to find the True Cross of Jisus christ. This year, this holiday will not be celebrated in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Athens, but the Archbishop allowed no more than 20 people who claim to be his own people to celebrate it, which has caused great frustration among the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believers living in Athens. Normally the holiday will be celebrated by Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo believers in Ethiopia and around the world on September 26. Solution for Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo believers in Greece!
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