Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) – In 1846, Capuchin missionary William Massaja – whose 200th anniversary of birth is celebrated this year – was consecrated Bishop and appointed the first Apostolic Vicar of Galla, in South Ethiopia. Thanks to the extraordinary missionary fame of Massaja, who remained 35 years, carrying out fundamental social and health programs, the Catholic missions in the ancient Land of Cush experienced an era of growth that led to the formation of local clergy and inspired missionaries like Daniele Comboni, Francesco Jordan, and Giuseppe Allamano.
Franco Salvatori, President of the Italian Geographic Society and the Committee for the Bicentennial of Cardinal Massaja, told Agenzia Fides that as a great man of faith, Massaja saw cultural diversity as a enrichment and worked in collaboration with the different African groups. To this day, Massaja's memory is still very alive among inhabitants, filled with affection and veneration.”
Prior to the erection of the Vicariate of Galla, several Catholic missionaries had tried to open the way to Ethiopia, however with serious difficulty. In the early 17th century, an edict of proscription affected the Jesuit missionaries and for over a century, only the Franciscans were allowed to continue working in the area, until their martyrdom in 1683. After a series of unsuccessful initiatives from Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIV, France entered Ethiopia in 1837 thanks to two explorers: Antonio and Arnaldo d'Abbadie, who presented a detailed account of the situation to Propoganda Fide, asking that missionaries be sent.
In 1839, the Holy See instituted the Apostolic Prefecture of Abyssinia, entrusted to Lazarist Father Giustino De Jacobis (canonized in 1975 by Paul VI). Then, in 1846, he divided the territory in 3 circumscriptions, including the Apostolic Vicariate of Galla (Bishop William Massaja) and the Apostolic Vicariate of Sudan or Central Africa (entrusted to Bishop Daniele Comboni in 1877).
The Italian occupation of Ethiopia in 1935 led to a complete reorganization of the ecclesiastical circumscriptions. The Vicariate of Galla was divided into the Vicariates of Harrar (entrusted to the Capuchins) and Gimma (entrusted to the Consolata Missionaries) and in many other Apostolic Prefectures and Delegations. In 1941, with the return of Emperor Haile Sellassie, all the Italian missionaries were expelled from the country. In order to assist the Catholic people, the first Eritrean Bishop was appointed from Asmara: Bishop Kidanemariam Kassa, who with the help of local priests carried out the pastoral work of the Vicariate of Massaja.
From the 50s, the Holy See began the systematic reorganization of the ecclesiastical territories of Ethiopia, from whence two great regions emerged. One to the North, which includes a large part of the old Vicariate of De Jacobis, made Ecclesiastical Province of the Eastern Rite, with Metropolitan See in Addis Abeba (1961). The second, to the South, included all of Massaja's territory and divided it into a series of Vicariates: Harrar (Bishop Pasquale Ghebreghiorghis), Soddo-Hosanna (entrusted to Capuchins), Awasa (Combonians), Neqemtie (Lazarists), Meki (Consolata Missionaries). Emdibir has recently been erected as an Eparchy of the Eastern Rite and assigned to Eritrean Bishop Musie Gebreghiorghis. In this eparchy, the process for beatification of Bishop Massaja is in its final stages. Agenzia Fides will soon publish a Dossier on the life, apostolate, and social contributions of the this great missionary. (AM) (Agenzia Fides 24/4/2009)
