INTRODUCTION
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; one God Amen.
It is true that Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia in the first century and became the official religion of the country in the fourth century A.D. (Act. 8:37-38).
The introduction of Christianity to Ethiopia brought about a big change in the lives of Ethiopians. The new period was considered as the period of "light" and "peace". The Ethiopians at the same time accepted the Christian era, Which they named "Amete Mihret," the year of mercy. The first Bishop of Ethiopia was Abba Selama Kesate Berhan, meaning "the father of peace and the revealer of light."
Since Christianity became the centre of life in country, it was obvious that the consequence was christianized civilization. Ethiopians are proud of the fact that they accepted Christianity without blood of other religious followers.For this reason, the culture of this country is deeply interwoven with the Gospel and Christian belief.There is a comment expression made by historianst hat if one wants to know more about Ethiopia,the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) is thegate. It is well known fact that the EOTC has a history of about two thousand years. The church has been the oldest teaching institution of both religious and secular education such as Biblical exegesis, commentary, patristic literature, church songs, literature arithmetic, astronomy and medicine. The EOTC still teaches in the monasteries and in the courtyard of every local church and has the freedom to preach anywhere in the country. In this way, saints and monasteries provided tremendous contributions to the growth of religious life and the development of Ethiopian culture.
The EOTC will continue as the most important church with its faithful followers of over 40,000,000, 700,000 clergy and some 35,000 parishes and monasteries in different dioceses.
Therefore, I dare to say that the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido church was and still is the nucleus in the cultural life of Ethiopia.
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