An unprecedented existential threat now confronts our Church and her faithful. Even so, our Church continues to trust in the power of prayer for peace and love in the midst of trial. It was in this spirit that I released a video message for the Ethiopian New Year calling for repentance and reconciliation (የአዲስ አመት የንሳሃ እና የእርቅ ጥሪ).
That message spoke of peaceful reconciliation, knowing full well that our gestures of love, and our forbearance in the face of unimaginable atrocities, have not brought us peace. We will continue to seek peace, reconciliation, and love. But we can no longer accept bloodshed, persecution, or injustice against our people and our Church.በቃ!
Sacred Scripture calls us to rise in faith and courage. The Prophet Isaiah reminds us that faith does not demand silence before injustice, but commands us to seek justice(Isaiah 1:17). The Apostle Peter likewise exhorts us not to fear those who threaten us, but to stand ready to give account of the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:14–15).
Our response must be neither vengeance nor surrender. It must be a continued call for peace and reconciliation, alongside spirited resistance rooted in prayer, truth, and courage — a faithful and resolute defense of the dignity, freedom, and survival of our Church and her people.