The Different Catholic Churches Explained (And Why There Are 24 Of Them)
Christianity has been present in Ethiopia since the times of the Apostles and the Kingdom of Axum was among the very first to embrace Christianity, according to Dr. Vince Bantu of the Jude 3 Project. But historically, Ethiopia looked to Alexandria rather than Rome or Constantinople, and has been separate since 451. Despite the split, problems with Muslim neighbors led Ethiopia to ally with Catholic Portugal against neighboring Muslim Adal and the Ottoman Empire, which were attempting to conquer Ethiopia, per Prof. Jeffery Shaw (via Salve Regina University). Ethiopia won a decisive – albeit costly – victory thanks to Portuguese gunpowder.
The Ethiopian-Adal War was a catalyst for an attempted union, per Ascension Press, but it failed. Instead, it fell to Italian missionaries in the 19th century to create an Ethiopian Catholic Church. But the Italians, under Giustino de Jacobis, had learned from previous failures. Instead of forcing Latinization, they conducted their work according to the Coptic/Alexandrian Rite, celebrating their liturgies in accordance with local tradition.
The Ethiopian Catholic Church has its own head, Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphie, and like its Ethiopian Orthodox counterpart, uses the ancient Ge'ez language in its liturgies instead of Latin. It follows the Coptic calendar, and includes some interesting customs, such as the use of drums during services and yelling by women before communion – considered an act of joy. As seen above, men and women are also segregated.
In 2015, due to political tensions arising from the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia, Pope Francis separated the Eritrean part of the church into a separate body. But aside from leadership, the churches are identical.
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