Saint Michael the Archangel - ሊቀ መላእክት ቅዱስ ሚካኤል

Saint Michael the Archangel

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church celebrates the Feast of St. Michael on 12th day of each month of which two of them are great annual feasts – on Hidar 12 (November 21) and Senie 12 (June 19). The word Michael means ‘who is like God?’.

Senie 12 (June 19)

• It is the day that the Archangel St. Michael saved Aphomia from the hand of Satan

• It is the day that the death certificate of Bahrain was changed to great honor by the miracle of Archangel St. Michael

• Once again, it was the day that St. Alexander demolished a temple of idol, built a church on the site, put the Ark of Arch Angel Michael, and celebrated the festival with great rejoicing.

Melake "angel" is geez word which means messenger. This is the name given to Holy Angels because they are the ones who presents to God the sacrifices offered by man and who brings down God's mercy to man. On the same Sunday after the Most High God created the seven heavens He created the angels and made them intelligent and wise.

St. Michael is the Archangel for the 99 tribes of Holy Angles and lives in the heavenly city called Eyore. He is an angel who has taken up his army and fought against the Devil, when Satan said, "I am the Creator".

Revelation 12: 7-9

7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The prophet Daniel testified to the intercession and help of Saint Michael

Daniel 10: 13

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

Daniel 10: 21

21 But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.

Daniel 12: 1

“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;

Archangel Michael, whose clothes are lightning, his lips are fire is our protector and watches over us day and night. He also delivered Moses from Pharaoh, Joshua from Amalek, David from Goliath, Hezekiah from Sennacherib, Daniel from the power of the lions; St. Aphomia from the hand of Satan and Bahrain from the hand of evil rich man.

King Lalibela - ንጉሥ ላሊበላ

Saint Lalibela was born on December 29 (on the day our Lord was born), on 1101 A.D., in Rota, Lasta Bugna Woreda from his father Jean Seyoum and his mother Kirworna. Saint Michael had already told his mother about her son's birth. When he was born, many white bees came and landed on his body like honey, so his mother called him Lalibela. In Agaw Lal means bees. Even though his mother didn’t understand at the time the bees, however, they were angelic bees. The angels came to him like bees to prophesied that the honey of religion and morality is going to be taken from him.

The last Axumite King, Dil Naod, employed a famous general from Lasta Roha named Mera Teklahaimanot, who married his daughter, Mesobe Work. When Dil Naod died without a male successor, Mera Teklahaimanot became king and moved the seat of the empire to Lasta. Here, he founded the Zagwe Dynasty 11 kings who ruled Ethiopia for 333 years. King Lalibela was the most famous of the 11 Zagwe monarchs.

Saint Lalibela from younger age used to drink kosho (bitter leaf) every Friday in remembrance of the bitter gall that our Lord and savior Eyesus Kristos drank on the cross. One day Saint Gabriel took King Lalibela to Jerusalem and showed him all the monasteries and saints live there. Then He took him to heaven, showed him the seven heavens where angels and saints greeted him with reverence and joy. At the seventh heaven, Our Lord and Savior appeared before Lalibela and told him, my people are traveling to Jerusalem from Ethiopia to see the place of my suffering and they are dying on their way, but now you are ordained to build Jerusalem in the city of Roha, Ethiopia. Then Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kirstos described the detail of the rock buildings to Lalibela.

After Lalibela became king, he prayed to find out the place where the temple was to be built. When he was in his prayer King Lalibela saw a golden pillar of light being placed at the site now called “Bete Mariam” the house of Mariam, and he saw angels ascending and descending. Knowing that the place was God's will, Lalibela began to work. Our Lord and Savior again told to King Lalibela at the time of his prayer “Lalibela remember, I am the one who builds the temples, not you, but I let it to be called by your name.” When Lalibela built the ten temples, he found that if he built one inch today, He found it ten-inch-long in the next morning. During the day also the Holy Angels was helping him in the form of strangers. Bete Mariam (House of Mary) was the first church to be built by King Lalibela. The salutation to the church saying “May peace be upon you Holy Place, the likeness of Heavenly Jerusalem” started at this time.

Finally, after king Lalibela finished building the churches according to the instructions of our Lord the King fasted and prayed for 7 years, carrying ten kilograms of rock on his right, and left hand. Our Lord appeared to him reaffirmed His promise to him. Anyone who gives salutation to the temples that you have built; I will accepted him as he saluted Jerusalem. King Lalibela departed from this world on the day of Saint Michael Sene 12 (June 19).

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen !

Parakletos-Paraclete - ጰራቅሊጦስ

Parakletos - ጰራቅሊጦስ -The Descent of the Holy Spirit - 50 days after Tinsae(Resurrection)

The Feast of the Pentecost falls on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos, which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Holy Apostles and the Disciples at the third hour(9:00a.m.) of the day. Since the date of the Resurrection(Fasika) changes each year, the date of the Feast of the Parakletos also changes but is always celebrated on a Sunday.

The feast of Pentecost also known as by the name of Parakletos which comes from the Greek word translated “Comforter” or “Counselor.

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church tradition, the feast of Pentecost is one of the nine major feasts of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos. Originally, Pentecost, which means the fiftieth day, was a Jewish historical holy day which was known as Harvest Festival. After the accomplishment of His redemptive work, God made the harvest festival to relate to festival of the Holy Spirit.

During His Ascension, Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos promised the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would come after Him.

Acts 1:4–5

"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.

John 14:16–17

“16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.”

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place when the promise was fulfilled as Saint Peter and the early Church were in Jerusalem. The coming of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of the Old Testamentary prophecy.

Joel 2:28

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:”

According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church teachings on the New Testament, the twelve Holy Apostles had spoken perfectly in seventy-two languages. The other disciples(72 men and 36 women) were gathered together in the Upper Room of Zion(St. Mark’s home) in Jerusalem with the Holy Apostles on the day of Pentecost, they spoke in over fifteen different languages; some spoke fifty, the others twenty or twenty five and some spoke sixty.

Acts 2:1–4

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Having received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles began to speak and preach the Gospel in the multitude of tongues fearlessly. As a result, three thousand souls were added to the Church that day, through sacred Baptism. Thus, the official inauguration of the Church took place on the day of Pentecost and is considered the day of the birth of the Church.

Acts 2:41

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

Shortly after finishing their fasting, the Holy Apostles divided up the whole world between themselves and began to preach the Gospel to all nations of the earth.

Why did the Holy Spirit appear as tongues of fire?

• The Apostles possess the tongues of fire because in their sermons they light the hearts of the believers.

• Holy Spirit came down and destroyed the 'rust' of their sins.

• As it is possible to shape metal when it is inside a flame of fire, Holy Spirit shape and guide the lives of Christians.

The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

In Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is fundamental to the Holy Church.

• We believe in the Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.

• The Holy Spirit is one with God the Father and the Son. He comes forth from God the Father, as does the Son, and just like the Son, His existence is eternal and unchangeable.

• The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and the Son in the unity of the Godhead.

• The Holy Spirit permanently indwells in the heart of every child of God from the time of baptism.

1 Corinthians 3:16

“16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

Glory be to the Father, Glory be to the Son, Glory be to the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen!

The Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos- እርገት

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church celebrates 40 days after Tinsae/Resurrection to commemorate the Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos (እርገት). Since the date of Tinsae(Fasika) changes each year, the date of the Feast of the Ascension also changes.

The Ascension feast is always celebrated on a Thursday.

Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos appeared to his disciples at different times in the 40 days after His Resurrection and taught them many things they did not understand about the Scriptures. On the 40th day after His Resurrection Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos led His disciples to the Mount of Olives and ordered them to be His witnesses and after blessing them and asking them to wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit. And then He ascended into heaven.

Act 1:3-12

“To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.”

This is why in our 'Prayer of Faith' we pray "Rose from the dead, On the third day, as was written in the Holy Scriptures, ascended in glory into heaven, sit at the right hand of His Father."

The Ascension of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos was vital in a chain of the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Old and New Testament.

Psalms 110:1

“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos took with Him the flesh from His incarnation from the Holy Virgin Mariam into the Mystery of the Holy Trinity.

St John Chrysostom: “If you want to know how great man is, do not turn to royal palaces, but raise your eyes to the throne of God and you will see, on the right hand of God the Father, the Son of Man clothed with our flesh.”

Christ is Risen from the dead. He is Risen indeed!