Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church — Diaspora Campaignዓለም አቀፍ የሐዘን ቀን
International Day of Prayer and Mourningዓለም አቀፍ የጸሎትና የሐዘን ቀን
For Burned Churches and Perished Believersለተቃጠሉ አብያተ ክርስቲያናትና ለዐረፉ ምእመናን
Our central messageዋና መልእክታችን
- We remember those who have died.
- We stand with those who are suffering.
- We mourn the destruction of our churches.
- We reject violence and retaliation.
- We call upon the international community for the protection of human life, religious freedom, and human dignity.
The day is explicitly and unmistakably nonviolent, nonpartisan, and strictly ecclesial. It actively prohibits any politicisation of the event. That is not rhetorical — it is the single condition on which the international credibility of the campaign rests. The campaign avoids partisan political messaging, attacks on political parties or individual leaders, inflammatory language, and anything that could be read as a call for retaliation.
Why this campaign is lay-ledዘመቻው በምእመናን የሚመራው ለምን ሆነ
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and its affiliated parishes in Ethiopia are operating under enormous pressure and threat, including from state authorities. The Church’s diaspora parishes, meanwhile, are primarily organised to serve the spiritual and pastoral needs of their local congregations, and generally do not have the organisational structure, experience, or mandate required to coordinate a global campaign.
The campaign is therefore organised by lay members of the Church in the diaspora who can devote themselves to this international effort. The participation, counsel, and blessing of clergy and parish leadership are strongly encouraged and warmly welcomed — but the campaign’s organisational work should not be contingent on securing formal parish approval. The intention is not to compete with or bypass clergy, but to complement their role by creating a dedicated lay-led capacity for mobilisation and advocacy.
The diaspora holds substantial organisational, spiritual and financial capacity. The Washington–Maryland–Virginia region alone is home to45 EOTC congregations. To date that capacity has been expressed largely through statements of concern and private prayer. This campaign converts it into coordinated public action, so that the suffering of the faithful in Ethiopia is made visible on a single day, in a single voice, from every continent where Tewahedo Christians worship.
Washington, D.C.ዋሽንግተን ዲሲ
The proposed public gathering window is1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Participating parishes are encouraged, where possible, to maintain their normal Sunday liturgical schedule and conclude services before the main gathering. The intention is not to shorten or omit Qidase, but to organise the public gathering around the normal worship schedule. The day should be regarded as a historic day of prayer, mourning, solidarity and peaceful international witness — not as a competing event.
Addis Ababaበአዲስ አበባ የታቀዱ አብያተ ክርስቲያናት
Four centres of prayer, not one gatheringአንድ ሳይሆን አራት የጸሎት ማዕከላት
Parishes and parishioners in Addis Ababa cannot safely organise this event themselves, given documented government intimidation, arrests and violence. Coordination therefore proceeds from outside Ethiopia, drawing on local guidance wherever it can be obtained without exposing anyone. Rather than one enormous gathering, the working proposal is to encourage prayer and mourning around approximately four major churches — creating several visible centres across the city.
- 01
Holy Trinity Cathedral — Kidist Selassie
The most important symbolic venue in the proposed plan. As the principal cathedral of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Addis Ababa, it carries enormous historical and spiritual significance.
- 02
Lideta Mariam
An important historic and symbolic location for the day’s prayers and mourning.
- 03
St. George Cathedral
Provides geographic balance and significant visibility. One of Addis Ababa’s historic Orthodox centers.
- 04
Medhane Alem Cathedral — Bole
Provides representation in the Bole and eastern-central part of the city, with access to a large Orthodox congregation.
The final selection should be made only after consultation with the appropriate local parishes and parishioners. Part of the global campaign is to create international pressure on the government to stop harassing, intimidating and arresting participants in peaceful prayer and mourning.
Other cities and countriesሌሎች ከተሞችና አገሮች
Communities in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and elsewhere should establish local working groups to determine the most appropriate:
- Time
- Venue
- Program
- Speakers
- Communications arrangements
- Safety procedures
The goal is to preserve a common global identity while allowing each community to adapt the event to its own circumstances.
Communicationsየመገናኛ ስትራቴጂ
Communications discipline is essential to the campaign’s credibility. Designated spokespersons should be established for:
- The United States
- Canada
- England
- Europe
- Australia
- Ethiopia, where appropriate and safe
A concise Campaign Message and Media Guide should be prepared in advance, so that the day reads as one coordinated global action rather than hundreds of disconnected local gatherings.