Adigrat – Celebrations for the Ethiopian New Year began in Ethiopia on September 11, a major occasion in Ethiopian culture, marking a time to celebrate tradition, prosperity and a new beginning. On this occasion, the Eparch of Adigrat, Tesfaselassie Medhin, shared with Fides his message to the population as the country moves from the Year of Mark to the Year of Luke the Evangelist in the Ethiopian liturgical calendar.
The Eparch urges the faithful to begin the new year with gratitude to God, while acknowledging the conflicting feelings of hope and anxiety experienced by the population. In his message, Medhin gives voice to the deep wounds that continue to afflict society: the loss of loved ones, homes and livelihoods; displacement; unemployment and the disruption of education for many young people; and the burden of drought, famine and poverty, compounded by the absence of peace.
Many young people, moreover, are being forced to leave their homeland.
Yet, despite these adversities, suffering must not be allowed to steal hope. “God is close to those who are afflicted, and Christ himself suffered and wept with humanity. Christ remains close to all those who are suffering today,” the prelate said.
Medhin therefore urges Christians to express their faith through concrete acts of sharing, love, reconciliation and peace, rather than through words alone. Particular attention is given to young people, who must be supported by creating educational and employment opportunities that will enable them to build their future in their homeland.
Addressing those entrusted with political and institutional responsibilities, the Eparch recalls that leadership entails responsibility, not privilege. “Leaders have a moral duty to protect the vulnerable, defend peaceful people, respond to the emergency caused by drought and famine, create opportunities for young people, uphold human dignity and pursue reconciliation, following the example of Christ as a servant-leader.”
The message also places particular emphasis on peace, a profound aspiration of a population worn down by years of bloody conflict. “The population has suffered deeply because of past wars, and a new cycle of conflict is looming. Peace is urgent and cannot be achieved through force or oppression; it requires patience, tolerance, forgiveness and justice.” Medhin calls on all parties involved in conflicts to choose the path of negotiation and urges the international community to support dialogue.
“Peace is not the responsibility of leaders alone: every citizen has a role to play, beginning with the family and the community, by rejecting the hatred that is passed down from one generation to the next,” the Eparch stresses.
Another appeal concerns care for Creation, in harmony with the teaching of the Church and the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Creation is a “gift to be protected from pollution and destruction; human beings are its stewards, not its destroyers.”
In conclusion, the Eparch entrusts the country, families, young people and leaders to God and to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. He prays for peace, healing, mercy, freedom for the oppressed and the return of displaced people.
It is, in short, a message of hope amid suffering: an appeal for gratitude and solidarity with those in need, investment in young people, leadership understood as service, the pursuit of peace through dialogue and forgiveness, and the care of Creation.
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