Ethiopian Church Arts and Crafts Delegation Visits Russia to Foster Cultural and Spiritual Ties

OCP News Service – 10/07/2025

Moscow- Russia:  As part of the ongoing cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church, a delegation from the Hamere Birhan Center for Traditional Arts and Crafts, operating under the Ethiopian Patriarchate, visited Russia from June 26 to July 1, 2025 (DECR Communications Service, July 8, 2025).

The delegation was led by Priest Arseniy Gebregzabher, spiritual father of the Hamere Birhan Center, and included Tamirat Gebrehana (head of the Kirubel Center), Yared Aman Beriso (product designer), Thitna Kefialev Zelalem (head of the education department), and Tinsae Tesfamyheal Hailu (deputy head of education). Deacon Alexander Cherepenin of the Department of External Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate accompanied the guests throughout their visit.

The program commenced with a visit to “Sofrino,” the Art and Production Enterprise of the Russian Orthodox Church. The delegation toured the house church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, the enterprise’s museum and factory departments, and its sales department, and engaged in discussions with acting general director V.A. Levin.

The guests then proceeded to the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius and the Moscow Theological Academy, where they venerated the holy relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh. They also explored the “Church-Archaeological Cabinet” Christian art museum and learned about the work of other educational and scientific centers within the Moscow Theological Academy.

In Moscow, the delegation met with D.A. Trofimov, head of the creative workshop “Tsargrad” and corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts. Discussions centered on establishing professional cooperation, particularly within the framework of the International Festival of Contemporary Church Art “See and Hear,” a project initiated by the “Tsargrad” workshop.

Further engagements included visits to the Danilov Stavropegic Monastery and the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, where they met with Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR Secretary for Inter-Christian Relations. The delegation was also received by Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, rector of the Church of the Martyr Tatiana at Moscow State University, and by Abbess Elizaveta (Pozdnyakova) and her sisters at the Mafo-Mariinsky Convent of Mercy.

During their stay, the Ethiopian delegation also visited prominent spiritual and cultural sites such as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery, the Church of the Great Martyr Catherine on Vspolye, the Mikhail Abramov Museum of Russian Icons, and the Armenian Church Complex of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Tapan Museum of Church Art. They also met with members of the Moscow community of Ethiopian Church believers.

The Hamere Birhan Traditional Arts and Crafts Center, established in 2018 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Abune Matthias of Ethiopia, is a significant Ethiopian church and public organization. Meaning “Ark of Light” in Amharic, the center was initiated by clergy and parishioners of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Debre Birhan and has successfully established a network of production facilities across Ethiopia. It engages in the serial production of icons, crosses, candles, liturgical items, and traditional handwritten books with parchment pages and leather bindings. Since 2022, the Center has also operated an Academy of Arts, training future specialists and implementing various cultural, educational, and youth projects, including international exhibitions of Ethiopian church art.

Source:

OCP News Service