Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Adigrat (Fides Service)- Also in Ethiopia people are praying to accompany the election of the new Pontiff. “Since they learned the sad news of the Pope’s death, Catholics the Eparchy of Adigrat have been giving thanks to God for the gift of John Paul II and praying for the eternal repose of his soul. They are also praying to the Holy Spirit to inspire the Church to elect a worthy 265th successor of St Peter as Vicar of Christ”. This was said in a report sent to Fides from the Eparchy of Adigrat in northern Ethiopia.
In Adigrat the death of John Paul II touched all hearts and offered an occasion to hold an ecumenical and interreligious meeting. “On 9 April in every parish in the Eparchy Requiem Masses were said for the Holy Father. Thousands of Catholics and representatives of other religions and civil authorities attended a special Mass in the Holy Saviour Cathedral in Adigrat presided by Bishop Abuna Tesfaselaise Medhin” the report said. “Representatives of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the local Lutheran Church and Muslim community all expressed profound appreciation for the exemplary life of Pope John Paul II”.
“During the agape or refreshments after Mass the governor of East Tigrai and representatives of the three religions voiced their grief for the death of John Paul II at the world level and said they hoped the next leader of the Church would take up the challenges left by him” the report said.
In his homily the Bishop said “Pope John Paul II remains in our hearts and will be remembered for the noble milestones which he left with his extraordinary work of carrying peace and reconciliation, tolerance, solidarity with the excluded, becoming the voice of the voiceless and the defender of the dignity of the human person, without discrimination of race, religion or opinion. Like Christ, the Holy Father was a man who cared about every person. Today we pray for his soul that he may know the glory of Christ”.
“This emotional and spiritual experience of grief and gratitude shared by people of all religions and all men and women of good will was felt in all the Eparchies, Vicariates and Prefectures in Ethiopia ” the report concluded.
Ethiopia has a population of 68 million. Of these about 494,000 are Catholics (according to the Church’s annual book of statistics). Other believers include Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Animists and followers of others religions. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 18/4/2005 righe 36 parole 443)
