Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church
Merafe Kidusan Abune Teklehaymanot
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, earth, and all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of the Father, who was with Him before the creation of the world: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father; by whom all things were made, and without Him was not anything in heaven or earth made. Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, was made man and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and from the holy Virgin Mary. He became man, was crucified for our sakes in the days of Pontius Pilate, suffered, died, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day as written in the Holy Scriptures. He ascended in glory into heaven, sat at the right hand of His Father, and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. There is no end to His reign.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the life-giving God, who proceeds from the Father; we worship and glorify Him with the Father and the Son. He spoke through the prophets. And we believe in one holy, universal, and apostolic Church. We believe in one baptism for the remission of sins and await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Nicene Creed, AD 325
Abune Teklehaymanot
Saint Abune Teklehaymanot (አቡነ ተክለሃይማኖት) was born on December 24, 1197, in North Shwa, Ethiopia, to Priest Tsegazeab (ጸጋዘአብ) which means “Grace of God” and his mother Egzi’eharaya (እግዚእሃረያ) which means “Choice of God”.
On the third day after his birth, a miracle occurred. The newborn child left his mother’s arms and spoke the words, “One Holy Father, One Holy Son, One Holy Spirit.” On the 40th day, he was brought to the church and baptized with the name Fshatsion (ፍስሃጽዮን).
When he was one year and three months old, there was a severe drought in the Shoa region, causing great hunger among the people. His father, Priest Tsegazeab, prayed in the temple for food and water for the feast of St. Michael, while his mother stood weeping at the door of their house. The child, so young, asked his mother to bring some flour. Miraculously, he also filled the oil jar, enabling them to celebrate St. Michael’s feast.
He was raised with the teachings of the holy scriptures until he was seven years old. At the age of fifteen, his father took him to Pope Kyrillos of Egypt, who was also the bishop of Ethiopia. One night, Archangel Michael appeared in a dream to Pope Kyrillos and told him that a dark-skinned man would come the next day and kneel before him. This man had a blessed son, chosen for heaven and great in the eyes of God. “Ordain him as a deacon, and let him go in peace,” said Michael.
