According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church canon, the Ethiopian Holy Synod meets twice a year under the chairmanship of His Holiness the Patriarch.
1. Tikemet 12 (October 22nd)
2. Rikibe Kahinat: On the 25th day after the Resurrection.
Rikibe Kahinat (ርክበ ካህናት) is a geez word which means coming together of Priests. This is the meeting of the parish council. Rikibe Kahinat is always on a Wednesday. On this day the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church parish council is held to remind the priests, bishops, archbishops and the patriarch that as the Lord gave Peter a special charge of feeding His sheep. They also have a huge responsibility to keep and protect the believers.
ACT 20:28-30
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them
According to Ethiopian Orthodox history the first Ethiopian Orthodox Church parish council was held on 1450 at the time of King Aste Zera Yacob.
At the time King Zara Yaqob, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church fathers had been divided over the issue of Biblical Sabbath observance. The division was more between the fathers known as the followers of Ewostatewos and fathers from the Monastery of Debre Libanos. The fathers of Debre Libanos Monastery believed that sabbath should be observed on Sunday but the followers of Ewostatewos, on the other hand believed that sabbath should only be observed on Saturday. King Zara Yaqob held the Council of Debre Mitmaq in Tegulet and asked Church fathers to sit and listen to both sides and provide him with their decision. The Church fathers finally agreed to celebrate both Saturday and Sunday as the Sabbath of the Church.
Simon son of John, do you love me? Fourth Sunday after Resurrections [Tinsae]
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church celebrates 4th Sunday after Tinsae to commemorate Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos' appearances to his disciples following his Resurrection for the third time.
Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos appeared to the disciples at different times in the 40 days after His resurrection and taught them many things they did not understand about the Scripture before.
Luke 24:45-48
“45 Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He said to them, “It is written that the Christ [Messiah] would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that a change of hearts and lives and [L repentance for the] forgiveness of sins would be preached in his name to all nations, starting at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.”
Saint Peter used to catch fish for living, but once he became the disciple of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos he has been told he will be only going to fish people for the Lord, and to be His witness even unto death.
Mark 1:17
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people”
But on this day peter decided to go back to his fishing job and behind him came the other disciples. Peter felt deep remorse and wept bitter tears of sadness over his weakness of denying Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos and all the other apostles who fled at Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos’ arrest felt the same. In-spite of their weakness at the shore of Lake Galilee, Our Lord and savior allowed them to spend happy long hours with him, and eat with him; and also showed them that He still pleased to hand them over the responsibility of caring for His sheep.
John 21:9-17
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Peter is the leader; the chief disciple, his name also means rock.
Matthew 16:18-19
“18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Even though Peter denied knowing Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos three times on the day of crucifixion, his penance allowed him to restore his discipleship and receive greater responsibility to keep and feed the flock of God. Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos ask Peter three times “do you love me” In the same way he denied him because he wanted to restore his discipleship and make him the chief.
Peter and the other disciples and their followers (the Church Fathers) are appointed by God to shepherd and maintain the Church throughout their life witnessing about death and resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos. Peter began his early church leadership after the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos when he was the presiding person of Matthew's choice in place of Judas.
Acts 1:15-17
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.
Saint Peter spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel, and became a martyr in Rome with Saint Paul, on July 12 (Hamle 5 of the Ethiopian Calendar).
Christ Rose from the dead!
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