The Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Our Savior (Medhanialem) to inaugurate new building

Deacon Solomon Kibriye
OCP News Service- 22/3/14

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The Church of Our Savior (Medhanialem) was legally incorporated and established in the City of New York 30 years ago when the first mass was held in the Riverside Church at the Christ Chapel. Our service has continued at this place for the last 30 years uninterrupted thanks to the generosity shown by the Riverside Church. We pay special tribute to the late Dr William Sloan Coffin who opened the doors of this great Church for use and his successor Dr. James A. Forbes who showed his love, friendship and support for a number of years. We also pay our tribute to the current leaders and administrators of the Riverside Church who have continued the tradition of their generosity exhibited by the earlier leadership to this day.

Our stay at the Riverside was meant to be very temporary. However that temporary period turned out to be a long 30 years. The expensive cost of living of New York has adversely affected our goal of obtaining our own Church in two ways: a) the very expensive real estate market of New York b) The temporary nature of our membership who continue to move elsewhere due to the high cost of living in the City.

It is not hard to understand why it took 30 years for the rest of the largely working class members who call NY their home to save their nickels and dimes and finally purchase a building.

May 3, 2014 is a day of celebration and thanksgiving for the Ethiopian immigrant population of the City and supporters. We plan a big display of our age old religious tradition, custom and procession.

The first mention of an Ethiopian converted to Christianity is mentioned in the bible as follows:-

Then the angel of the Lord said to Philip, Start out and go south to the road that leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza. So he set out and was on his way when he caught sight of an Ethiopian. This man was a eunuch, a high official of the Kandake (Candace) Queen of Ethiopia in charge of all her treasure. (Acts, 8:26-27)

The Orthodox Christianity as we know it today became the established religion of Ethiopia in the 4th Century during the Axumite Kingdom of King Ezana who was converted to Christianity which ever since has not changed much.

For more information and/or interview
Please contact the Chair of the Board Dr. Dagnachew Birru at info@Medhanialem.org or by telephone:

Service Address
302 East 206 St
Bronx, NY 1046

Mailing Address
EOTCOS
POBOX- 250797
New York, NY 10025

Source:
OCP News Service