Prime Minister seeks to end Ethiopia's orthodox schism

The Ethiopian Prime Minister unveiled the beginning of a process of reconciliation between the two wings of the oldest Christian churches in the world, official media reported Friday. .

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Tewahedo separated in 1991 from the appointment of a new patriarch after the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) had driven out the Derg military junta

. The main church officials claimed that the appointment of a new patriarch violated church rules that the role is held for life.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, on his first visit to the United States, announced a plan for healing on Thursday. Fana Broadcasting Corporate, affiliated with the state, said:

She showed Abiy in Washington with members of the dissident faction of the Orthodox Church at an event ushering in a committee to heal schism. 659009] "Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that it is impossible to think of Ethiopia without taking note of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which he says is both large and sacred, "reported Fana

. The event marks a historic leap, the Prime Minister pointed out that this was something late, "added the broadcaster.

dating back to the 4th century, the Orthodox Church is the largest d & # 39; s. 39, Ethiopia, gathering 38 million people, according to the world

The country is also home to a Muslim minority and a growing Protestant population that includes the Prime Minister.

Since taking office in April, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed gave priority to reconciliation between dissidents and the EPRDF,

He freed many dissidents imprisoned in Ethiopian prisons and sometimes met them personally upon their release.

Earlier this week he has combined "multi-party democracy," an amazing shift for the EPRDF, which has been in power continuously since 1991 and holds all seats in parliament with its allies. [19659008HealsoopenedthedoorsofhistoricalreconciliationwithneighboringEritrea[19659009] The visit to the United States should be a kind of charm for Abiy.

After arriving in Washington, Reuben E. Brigety II, a former US ambbadador to the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia, tweeted a photo showing the Prime Minister smiling and holding hands with a lonely protester who greeted him in front of the embbady of Ethiopia

He also visits the diaspora communities in Los Angeles and the state of Minnesota during a government visit Ethiopian titled "Tear down build bridges!"

Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians live in the United States, among whom are many journalists and politicians who have scrambled with the EPRDF