THE
TEN
COMMANDMENTS
THE LAWS OF GOD
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen.
THE SIX (6) PARABLES
of Eyesus Kristos (Christ)
THE FIVE (5) PILLERS OF MYSTERY
The Five Pillers of Mystery upon which the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is based are :
1. MYSTERY of TRINITY (Mystire of Selassie): We believe in One God who is invisible and unsearchable; who is the creator of all things visible and invisible. His kindness and forgiveness endures forever. He abides without beginning and without end, who is also Eternally Three but One Divinity.
+ He has three names ~ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, One God, Three Persons and One Essence, Three Personas and One Appearance, One existence, One Will. Matt. 28 : 19, Saint John 14 : 9 -11, 1John 4 : 7 -18.
+ God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit ~ One God. They are called One God, not three Gods.
The Holy Trinity.
THE SEVEN (7) SACRAMENTS
A church sacrament is a Holy ordinance through which the believer receives an invisible grace under the form of an outward sign, visible or audible.
1. BAPTISIM
2. CONFIRMATION
3. PENANCE
6. MATRIMONY
7. HOLY ORDERS
The first four sacraments are necessary for every believer; and although the other three are also necessary to every believer, yet matrimony and holy orders are very necessary to the church.
The first being necessary for the preservation of and growth of mankind, and the second for consecrating the clergy required to perform.
2. Confirmation (Myron)
It is the Holy Ointment with which one is anointed after baptism. Confirmation like baptism is performed once and cannot be repeated. Through this sacrament the believer is granted the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Since the believer, through this sacrament, is confirmed in the new life given him after baptism, it should therefore be administered directly after baptism. Some churches say that it should be delayed until the babies grow to the age of maturity. Our church states that:
+ The Holy Spirit descended upon our Lord directly after baptism. (Matt. 3 : 16 )
+ In the Apostolic times the baptized person was granted the Holy Spirit by the laying of the hands
(Acts 20 : 14 -17 )
+ Since babies are worthy of receiving the grace of baptism, there is no reason for preventing them from
receiving the sacrament of confirmation.
~ The priest makes the Sign of the Cross at each anointing, and he who is baptized is anointed + his forehead,
+ his eyes, + his ears, + his nostrils, + the palms of his hands, within and without, + his breasts, + his head, + his
knees, + his arms, + his lips, + the middle of his back, + his legs, + and his feet.
Then the baptized person shall clothe himself in white garments, which are a symbol of purity.
The Holy Oil was first made by the Apostles, of spices and ointments that were prepared for the body of the Lord at the time of burial and after burial (Luke 23 : 56; 24; :1 )
St. Mark brought part of it to Egypt, and since that time fresh oil used to be made and added to the rest of it.
It is now made from olive oil and certain other spices, and consecrated by the Patriarch and Bishops through long prayers.
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit : ~ Wisdom ~ understanding ~ counsel ~ might ~ knowledge ~ godliness ~ and the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11 : 2 ) are given to the believers through this sacrament.
3. Penance
Penance means to feel remorse, repent and cleanse oneself from sin.
Although believers are reborn through the sacrament of baptism, and receive the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of confirmation, yet this does not mean that they have immunity against sin.
Abraham ~ Isaac ~ Jacob ~ Moses ~ David, etc. in the Old Testament. Peter ~ John ~ etc., in the New Testament; all these committed sin; even when they were on the pinnacle of holiness.
For this reason, this sacrament of penance was instituted in order that through it the sinner can return to God after confessing his sins to the priest.
According to the power given by Christ to His ministers to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in Him, the penitent receives, through the mediation of the priest, forgiveness of sins when he comes to him repenting and confessing them.
1. Baptism is the sacrament through which a person is born again and accepted into the membership of the
church after being dipped into water three times in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Of all the sacraments it is the first, because it is considered as the door through which the believer enters the church and the kingdom of Grace according to what was said by the Lord:
"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3 : 5 )
~ ~ ~ Therefore it must be received by believers before they can receive any other sacrament. ~ ~ ~
Our Lord Eeysus Kristos Himself instituted this
sacrament after His resurrection when He said :
"All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit. " (Matt. 28 : 18 - 19 )
(A) The use of water is because Christ was baptized
into water (Matt. 3 : 13-14)
(B) Water cleanses the dirt of the body, and baptism
cleanses the dirt from the soul
(C) Baptism resembles death and burial with Christ;
and to bury a dead body is to put it down in the grave
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death; that like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6 : 3 - 4 )
+ Therefore it is not right to Baptise with the sprinkling of water as others do. If there is no body of water
at the church in which to submerge the body, then a wide basin is constructed in which the believer can stand or kneel, and water taken in a pitcher / container and poured over the whole body from the top of the head three times.
One Baptism
+ Our church teaches that those who have been validly baptized must not be baptized again.
This is what St. Paul affirmed : " One God , one faith, one baptism." (Ph. 4 : 5)
+ Baptism is the rebirth, or regeneration. As man is born bodily only once, so we cannot be spiritually born more
than once.
+ Even when Christians reject the faith and come back again to the church, they are not baptized again in this
case it is sufficient that they perform the two sacraments of penance and Holy Communion.
Baptism of Infants
Some churches say that baptism should be given only to grown up persons. But our church believes that babies should be baptized for the following reasons :
+ Babies are inheritors of Adam's sin, and it is necessary for them to be purified of it through baptism.
+ God did not prevent babies from accepting some of the great graces, e.g. Jeremiah was sanctified before coming forth out of the womb (Jer. 1 : 5 ) John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. (Luke 1 : 15 ) It is said : " Baptizing babies is an Apostolic tradition. "
Before receiving baptism, one must publicly declare :
+ His repentance; " Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Christ"
+ In his confession of repentance he must declare also that he has rejected satan and all his works.
+ His faith in the Lord Eeyesus Kristos. "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark 16:16)
+ In his confession of faith he must say the creed.
But in the case of babies who are of course unable to declare repentance or faith before baptism, their parents, or god-parent should give that declaration instead and should promise to rear them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
+ If the one to be baptized is adult, he must receive basic religious education and is baptized after
having accepted and believed in the teachings.
+ Males can only be godfathers to males and females can only be
godmothers to females (Fetha Nagast)
+ If any un-baptized person is seriously ill and his life is endangered, he is baptized.
+ Children born of Christian families are baptized after 40 days if male and 80 days if female.
However, there is no restriction of age if the person believes in salvation in Christ.
4. HOLY COMMUNION / THE EUCHARIST
( Mystire Qurban)
This is the crowning service of the Christian Church, the culmination of Christian worship,
the summit of Christian experience where devout believers hold intimate communion with their living Lord. The church through the ages has regarded this sacrament as the supreme act of the communal worship.
Through this sacrament we eat the blessed flesh of our Lord, and drink His blood under the form of bread and wine.
~ ~ ~ After Christ resurrection, he showed His deciples their mission to the world. " As my Father had sent me, even so send I you. And when He said this He breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: Whose soever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained
(John 20 : 21 - 23 )
The sacrament of penance is called spiritual medicine, and the priest is considered a spiritual physician to treat all the diseases of penitents. The priest can rebuke the sinner, ask him to fast some days or pass a longer time in daily prayer, or tell him to give money to the poor, or to do some kind of discipline. However, the priest should be careful in exercising this right. As a spiritual doctor he should treat every case as carefully as possible. A slight disease is not in need of the same drug that is needed in serious cases.
It should be well known that the " seal of confession " is the obligation of secrecy imposed upon the priest with regard to everything made known to him in confession. The obligation is absolute and admits no exception. It binds by the natural , divine and ecclesiastical law and is not abrogated even by the penitent's death.
THE CONFESSOR OR SOUL FATHER
Every Christian should have a Priest Confessor (Yenafs Abbat): the " soul father " who they can go to, to confess his sin. The reason for this is so he can be spiritually guided in the way to avoid repeating the sin and to get through him absolution. The practice of confession is strictly personal.
The believer chooses a confessor-priest who knows him personally, even intimately, and who is acquainted with and sympathetic to his problems. As a matter of fact he is the spiritual father of a family. He makes frequent visits to the home and performs services as required. Yearly a man gives to the confessor a gift according to his means. One wishing to confess goes to the church where they walk aside or sit and talk until the service is done.
When a man is about to die or is departing on an expedition he calls his Confessor and declares his final wishes, for the 'nuzazei' or death-bed declaration of a testament is much stronger when made in his presence although the present Civil Code does not require confessors as witnesses for the validity of a will, and the court may invalidate a testamentary provision made by the testator in favour of the Confessor. Usually a written testament is deposited with the Confessor, who on the fortieth day of Remembrance after death reads it to all concerned. The Confessor may be a member of the family Council. In general the place of the soul-father is of importance in the Ethiopian family.
The bible teaches us that every sin can be forgiven however grave it may be, provided the sinner should return to God in repentance. King David who committed two grave sins, was pardoned.
Peter, who denied the Lord three times, and in a very shameful way, was pardoned.
The woman who was taken in adultery was pardoned.
Christ asked for pardon even to those who committed the greatest crime by crucifying Him.
5. Unction of the Sick (Healing of the Sick)
1. Unction of the sick is the sacrament through which the priest anoints the
body of the sick, asking for divine grace to cure both body and soul.
2. The difference between this sacrament and that of penance is that the latter is administered (a) for all Christians (b) and for healing spiritual diseases; while the first is administered (a) only for the sick (b) and for the healing bodily and spiritual diseases.
3. There are some who think that St. James mentioned this unction as an
ordinary means of healing disease. The Orthodox church believes :
~~~ Had it been an ordinary means of healing disease, it would have been
said that anyone could anoint with oil. But St. John says that it is the
priests who should anoint.
~~~ The healing power is not attributed to the oil but to the prayer:
" Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer of faith shall save the sick."
4. The church of Rome calls this sacrament "Extreme (or last) unction" on the basis that it is administered to the sick only when they are at the point of death.
This is very wrong because the Bible speaks of it as a means of healing, and not as helping the sick at the point of death.
+++++ The Lord Himself instituted this sacrament +++++
Because it was said of the Apostles that "they cast out many devils and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. (Mark 6 : 13 )
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, through the ages,has regarded the Lord's Supper as the supreme act of life, when devout believers hold intimate communion with their Living Lord through the consecrated elements of bread and wine.
This sacrament brings true and eternal life to the believer : " Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. He that eats of this bread shall live forever" (John 6 : 54 -58). The Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes that Our Lord Eeyesus Kristos is present in this sacrament, not by way of granting His Grace, but by actually being there in the form of bread and wine:
+ The bread and the wine is prepared by the Priest (Abba) in the Bethlehem,(a special building in the church yard), and it must be made of pure wheat flour to which nothing is added except water and leaven. It must be baked not earlier than three hours before the beginning of the Liturgy.
The wine is prepared from dried raisins. These are soaked in water for three to five hours and then juice is squeezed out of them into the vessel, until it is transferred into the chalice at the time of Liturgical Service. +
Through this sacrament the believer receives remission of sins. The Ethiopian church strongly emphasizes that through this sacrament the believer partakes of the flesh and blood of our Lord. The flesh and blood is spiritual food that helps the believer to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Him, Christ said, " I am the bread of life, he that comes to me shall never hunger ~ for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed " (John 6 : 35, 55 ).
When the priest puts the bread on the paten and the wine in the chalice and conducts the liturgical prayer, the celebrant priest beseeches God that the Holy Spirit may descend upon the elements that the bread is changed into the body of Christ and the wine into the blood of Christ.
The priest makes the sign of the Cross three times over the bread and the chalice.
When the priest administers the body, the deacon administers the blood with a cross spoon.
May God help us all to be worthy to partake.
6. HOLY MATRIMONY
The sacrament of matrimony is important for the life of mankind. It is Holy and ordained by God. Through it the husband and wife are united and given divine grace that sanctifies their union and makes it perfect and spiritual, like the union of Christ and the church.
This order is significant not only for the life of the couple but further demands the moral support and protection of all nations and their states.
Moreover the kingdom of God and the church are involved in this great mystery.
Marriage is important for
~ The propagation of humanity as it was commanded : "Be fruitful and multiply."
~ To keep man and woman from the temptation of carnal lust.
~ For the good relationship and mutual help between husband and wife.
The intention of marriage is that one husband should have one wife and one wife should have
one husband.
The Canon of the Orthodox church requires that before matrimony is effected the following conditions should be met :
(1) Both couples should be Christians to obtain the grace of God.
(2) Both should belong to the Orthodox Tewahedo Church. If any one of them is not a member,
he/she should first be a member of the church.
(3) No pre-marital sexual relationship is permitted.
(4) Both should consent to be united in marriage.
(5) No marriage is allowed within seven generations, so as not to break the rule of kinship that
forbids marriage between close family relations. (Lev. 18 : 6 -21)
(6) Parents should be consulted and their consent should be secured.
(7) The sacrament of Holy Matrimony is performed by a Bishop, Archmandrite or if they are not
available then a Priest.
The Matrimonial service is conducted as follows :
(1) The bridegroom and his party enter the church by the northern door.
Then the bride and her party enter from the southern door.
(2) The bride and her bridegroom sit on the southwestern side of the church, where a place has
been specially prepared for them.
(3) They shall lay their hands on the Bible and the cross while making their solemn vow :
" In life, in time of difficulty, in sickness, and under other similar circumstances we will help,
comfort and encourage each other, until death do us part. For this God is our witness."
(4) The husband and wife are then robed in brightly colored church vestments.
(5) A ring is placed on the finger of each.
(6) A crown is placed on each of their heads and they are anointed with Holy Oil.
(7) Then they receive Holy Communion.
Significance of the symbols :
~ The robe signifies the sonship and daughtership with God and symbolizes the
happiness and glory they will inherit in heaven.
~ The rings signify faith or religion.
~ The Cross signifies the temptation the couple will encounter in life because of
their commitment to the faith.
~ The crowns symbolize the honor they will inherit in heaven.
~ The Holy Oil signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit.
There are three hierarchical ranks of Ordination. These are deacon, priest and bishop.
1. Deacon / Deaconess (Diakon)
(a) Deacons are ordained into this order before marriage.
(b) After marriage, the deacons become priests but if they wish to be
monks and be ordained priests they have to remain celibate.
(c) The duty of the deacon is to assist priests and bishops
(d) They are ordained by bishops
(e) No payment is made for receiving any of the ordinations, neither
can it be inherited; but only through a calling of the Holy Spirit and
in accordance with the cannons of the Church.
Deaconess
(a) The bishops shall choose a saintly woman to serve as deaconess, and shall appoint them to serve other women.
(b) Their duties are to assist the priests and bishops by attending to the women, for illness, and for baptism. A deaconess anoints the woman's body, after which the priest anoints her forehead, hands, feet and so on, with the sacred oil.
(c) A deaconess shall accompany the priest or bishop when he visits the home a woman who is ill or in need.
(d) A deaconess cannot be ordained as Priest, because the Canon Law states that only a man can be ordained into Priesthood. She can however choose to become a Nun.
2. PRIEST (Kahan)
The order of priesthood is conferred either after marriage or after becoming a monk. He can perform all the sacraments except, conferring Ordination, consecration of the altar, the Ark of the Covenant, new church and new vessels. If he becomes a priest in celibacy, he can attain the rank of bishop; but if he is married, he will be limited to the rank of priesthood.
A priest is ordained by the laying of hands and the breath of a bishop.
There are two classes of priests in the Ethiopian Tewahedo Church,
~ the married and the unmarried. The choice whether to marry is left to the clergy, but he must marry before his ordination into priesthood, if he does not intend to be a Monk - Priest.
Should he want to marry and later be ordained a priest, then he must remain a deacon until he can marry. However he can marry and remain a deacon if he it is his desire.
The priest is allowed to have only one wife ,(even if he is widowed)
" A bishop must then be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior
given to hospitality, apt to teach, one that rules his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity, . . . . . Likewise must the deacons be grave and not double tongued not given to much wine, nor greedy.. . . ." (1 Timothy 3 : 1 -5)
Though the Holy Scriptures mentions that a bishop can have one wife, the fathers of the Ethiopian Church thought from early times, at the foundation of the church, that a bishop could not marry due to the great responsibility that he would have.
Having a wife and family would make his work more difficult and one cannot desert his family for the church or desert the church for his family.
A Monk is one who has taken the monastic vows and is a religious Holy Man. He lives in a monastery, and according to the church's Canon Law, only Monks can be elevated to the office of Bishop, from which the Archbishops and Patriarch come.
Other Christian churches such as the Anglican church, allow their bishops to marry, while others like the Roman Catholic, do not allow even their priests to marry.
3. BISHOPS (Episcopas or Papas)
The rank of bishop is conferred on a clergy who has restricted himself in celibacy.
He is consecrated by all members of the Holy Synod but in times of difficulties, he is consecrated by the laying of hands and breath of at least two bishops.
He has the right to administer all the sacraments of the Church, he is the leader and administrator of the general affairs of the Church.
Other high officials and ranks of ordination refer rather to hierarchical terms.
These are :
~ Patriarch, the head of the church.
~ Archbishops (Liqe Papas)
~ Archmandrate (comous)
These higher orders are received by consecration, but this is altogether different from that of the deacons, priests, and bishops. There must be at least 3 bishops present for the cosecration of a bishop.
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2. MYSTERY of INCARNATION (Myatire Seggawe):
This is the mystery of God becoming man and man becoming God.
" The Word became flesh and dwelth among us". John 1 : 14.
Before the creation of the world our Lord Eeyesus Kristos, who was the Word, was
begotten from the father, for our salvation and was born from the Holy Virgin Mariam.
He grew little by little as a man without committing any sin; Galations 4 : 4 -6.
+ He was born so that all who believed in Him would be saved.
+ He was crucified for our sakes in the days of Pontus Pilate, suffered, died,
was buried and rose from the dead on the third day as was written in the Holy scriptures. Ascended in glory into heaven, sat at the right hand of His father, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him. 1Peter 3 : 22,
and He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, there is no end of His reign. Daniel 7 : 13 -14.
3. MYSTERY of BAPTISM (Mystire Timqet): The mystery of baptism is the sacrament given to all who believe in the Mystery of the Holy Trinity. In the beginning, Our Father Adam had committed a sin, and because of that every generation was under condemnation. Therefore, it became necessary that we had to be born again from water and the Holy Spirit.
+ Except we were all born again from water and the Holy Spirit, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.
Therefore, our Lord Eyesus Kristos has instituted for us Holy Baptism. St. Matt. 28 : 19; St. John 3 ; 3 -6.
+ It is called mystery, because, when a priest recites the prayer of baptism over the water and blesses it, it will
be changed and become the water that flowed from the right side of Our Lord Christ and one can receive
the invisible grace.
4. MYSTERY of Eucharist (Mystire Qurban ) / HOLY COMMUNION : This mystery is the body and blood of Our Lord Eeyesus Kristos which all baptized members receives in the form of bread and wine and which the clergy offer during Liturgical Service. This mystery is always performed in all Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
When the priest puts bread on a paten and the wine in a chalice and blesses them with the liturgical prayer, we believe that the bread and wine are changed into the real flesh and blood of the SON OF GOD.
+ Our Lord said, "This is my body which is broken for you and this is my blood which is shed for you, do it in remembrance of me." Our Lord again said to His Disciples, " Except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." St. John 6 : 53. But we must examine ourselves before we partake of this mystery.
"Let every man examine himself, and so let him eat of that
bread, and drink of that cup, for he that eats and drinks
unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not
deserning the Lord's body. 1 Corinth. 11 : 28 -29
+ The Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes and teaches, that the
Holy Communion which the disciples received on Thursday evening,
that which was crucified on the Cross on Friday, and that which is
practiced all over the world, is one and the same. It is not simply
symbolic or a memorial, but the real flesh and blood of Christ.
5. MYSTERY of THE RESURRECTION / (Mystire Tensaea Mutan): This mystery speaks concerning the second coming of Christ. Our belief in our resurrection is based on the resurrection of Christ. That Our Lord and Saviour Eeyesus Kristos, shall come again with great power and glory. At that time all the dead bodies will rise and the sinners will be separated from the righteous. Those who have done good works will enter into life everlasting and those who have done wrong will go away into everlasting condemnation. Matt. 24 : 20 -30.
+ After the Priest completes the prayers, he will make the person bow in four directions by saying ;
"I make you bow down to the FATHER,
I make you bow down to the SON,
I make you bow down to the HOLY SPIRIT ",
During baptism the candidate is given a new name other than the family name.
For instance if the baptism takes place around Easter,
the baptismal name for the male will be ~ Wolde Tensaye (the Son of the Resurrection),
~ Wolete Tensaye ~ (the Daughter of the Resurrection).
The priest baptizes the candidate, pronouncing this new name:
"I Baptise you in the name of the Father,
I Baptise you in the name of the Son,
I Baptiste you in the name of the Holy Spirit ",
so saying he baptizes him /her. (Matt. 28 : 19- 20)
" Your new name is Wolde tensaye / Wolete Tensaye. "
(The baptismal name plays a great role in the life of the person, before and after death. In ceremonies such as ordination of priests or deacons, matrimonial services, funeral and so on, the baptismal name is used instead of the family name.)
+ After baptism a cord is put around the neck. (Mateb)
The priest must bless this before he ties it around the neck of the newly baptized.
This is the sign or identification of a Christian, a badge of faith. It is made of a
black, blue, or white silken cord, carrying a cross to signify the crucifixion of Christ.
~ This distinguish Christians from Moslems and pagans.
~ It also is a guard against evil spirits. Mateb originated in 451 AD, Yacob
Alberedaea was teaching the doctrine of Christ, in order to distinguish Christians
he tied Mateb around their necks. Orthodox churches still follows this tradition.
+ Immediately after baptism, the believer is blessed and receives the
Holy Communion; which is the culmination of the sacraments.
Female Monks (NUNS)
" Monastic life is the last life. "
- EmaHoy Firkerte Mariam Bekele - Sebeta GateSemani Monastery
A female monk (Nun) can be appointed only by a monk - bishop, usually
it will be the Archmandrate, (Comous) who has jurisdiction over monks.
A Nun is appointed only verbally, for she offers no priestly service;
she shall vow to not marry & to serve together with other Nuns.
The sign of the cross is made over her which means she will dedicate
herself to prayer and service to Our Lord. (see also "monastic life" page)
Emahoy Firkerte Mariam Bekele
(Holy Mother) of Sebeta Gate-Semani Monastery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
7. HOLY ORDERS
Holy Order is the sacrament for ordaining and consecrating the clergy.
Through his sacrament, the ordained clergy are granted a divine gift
appropriate to the various services to which they are called.
The institution of this sacrament took place :
~ First when our Lord Eeysus Kristos appointed the twelve apostles
and seventy disciples.
~ Second, when He commanded the apostles to preach and Baptiste all nations (Matt. 28 : 19 -20).
~ Third, when St. Paul said that it was Christ Himself who appointed
some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as
pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4 : 11).
The Ethiopian church emphasizes that only Bishops should have the
power to ordain priests and deacons in the churches just as the
apostles appointed bishops, priests, and deacons in the past.
Certain prayers are set for each sacrament to ask for the grace
and the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
+ A bishop has the right to perform any church sacrament.
However, there must be at least three bishops present for the
consecration of a bishop.
+ A priest can perform all of the other six sacraments but not
ordination.
+ A deacon can help only the officiating priest or bishop through
the entire service of the church.
PATRIARCH
HOLY SYNOD
PATRIARCHATE
HEAD OFFICE
DIOCESES
DIST. ECCL. OFFICE
PARISH CHURCHES
First Parable
But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Roca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5 :22Second Parable
But I say unto you, that whosoever look on a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5 :28Third Parable
But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife except for the cause of fornication, cause her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorce commits adultery. Matthew 5 :32
Fourth Parable
But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne. Nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; neither shall you swear by the head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these comes by evil. Matthew 5 : 34-37Fifth Parable
But I say unto you, that you resist not evil; but whosoever shall strike you on the right cheek, then turn to him the other also. Matthew 5 :39Sixth Parable
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5 : 44(1) First Commandment
I am the Lord Thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Thou shall have no other Gods before me. Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shall not bow down thyself to them nor serve them; For I am the Lord thy God, I am a jealous God. Exodus 20:2-5
(2) Second Commandment
Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold ye guiltless that take His name in vain. Exodus 20:7
(3) Third Commandment
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shall thou labour and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shall not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor any stranger that is within thy gates; for the six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11
(4) Fourth Commandment
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gave you. Exodus 20:12 (5) Fifth Commandment
Thou shall not kill. Exodus 20:13
(6) Sixth Commandment
Thou Shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14(7) Seventh Commandment
Thou shall not steal. Exodus 20;15(8) Eight Commandment
Thou shall not bear false witness (lie) against your neighbor. Exodus 20 :16(9) Ninth Commandment
Thou shall not covet (be jealous of) your neighbor's house, thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife, or his manservant or his maidservant, or his ox, or anything that is your neighbor's. Exodus 20:17(10) Tenth Commandment
Thou shall not avenge, or bear grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. I am the Lord
The basic requirements that ALL the faithful (baptized) members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church should know are as follows :
6. THE TEN (10) COMMANMENTS . . . . .
7. THE SIX (6) Parables of Eeyesus Kristos (Christ)
