Orthodox Priests Killed in Addis Ababa and Arsi; 30 Pilgrims Taken Captive in Oromia, Ethiopia

 

ESG – OCP News Service – 05/09/2025

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia: A wave of targeted violence against Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church clergy and faithful has sent shockwaves through communities in Addis Ababa and Arsi, Oromia, with recent incidents highlighting an alarming escalation in attacks on religious figures.

On August 30, 2025, Negussie Welde Medhin, a 75-year-old priest of the East Arsi Diocese, was brutally killed in his home in the Meseranje locality of Robe District. Priest Negussie, a devoted servant of Odda Saint George’s Church and the founder of Darimu Saint Michael’s Church, was a respected figure in his community. His death follows the tragic killing of another priest, Afewerk Abebaw, on August 24, 2025, in Addis Ababa. Afewerk, who served at the Church of God the Father and Saint Hripsime of Armenia, was gunned down with five bullets, leaving the capital’s faithful in mourning.

The violence extended beyond clergy to pilgrims, with a group of more than 30 devotees kidnapped on August 30, 2025, around 4 PM, while returning from the annual feast of Saint Abune Tekle Haymanot at Debre Libanos Monastery. The pilgrims’ bus was intercepted by gunmen near Keduber in Sululta District, located in the Northern Shewa Zone of Oromia. The abductors have not yet released the hostages.

In a related tragedy, the bodies of Priest Admasu Getaneh and his brother, Wegene Getaneh, were discovered after a ransom was paid on July 18, 2025. The two were kidnapped in Arsi after Priest Tesfaye Reta, who served at Gedebsa Debre Selam Holy Savior Church was killed on June 28, 2025. The discovery of their bodies has further underscored the growing threat to religious figures in the region.

An Orthodox Priest is Butchered to Death in East Arsi, Oromia, Ethiopia

These incidents are part of a troubling pattern of violence targeting Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church members, particularly in Oromia. The Church, one of the largest Oriental Orthodox denominations with an estimated 36 to 51 million adherents in Ethiopia, has faced increasing challenges, including attacks on its clergy and sacred sites.

Local communities have expressed outrage and sorrow, calling for justice and increased protection for religious figures and worshippers. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has yet to issue an official statement on these latest incidents, but the killings and kidnappings have reignited concerns about the safety of clergy and pilgrims in volatile areas.

Authorities have not publicly identified suspects or motives behind the attacks. The Ethiopian government has faced criticism for its handling of religious violence, with some accusing it of failing to uphold the constitutional separation of religion and state.

As the nation grapples with these tragedies, the faithful are left mourning their losses while pleading for peace and security.

Sources:
– Mahibere Kidusan Broadcast Service
– TIKVAH-ETHIOPIA
– Wazema Media/Radio
– Borkena