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The '''Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church''' (in Amharic: ''Yäityop'ya ortodoks täwahedo bétäkrestyan'') is an [[Oriental Orthodox]] church in Ethiopia that was part of the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Church]] until 1959, when it was granted its own [[Patriarch]] by [[List of Coptic Popes|Coptic Pope]] Cyril VI. The only pre-colonial Christian church of [[Orthodoxy in Sub-Saharan Africa|Sub-Saharan Africa]], it claims a membership of close to 36 million people worldwide, and is thus the largest of all Oriental Orthodox churches. Its current head is most recent primate was His Holiness Abune P'awlos (born 1935, elected 1992), Patriarch of Addis Ababa and All Ethiopia, who reposed on August 18, 2012.
==Origins==
As with Orthodox [[synagogue]]s, men and women are seated separately in Ethiopian Orthodox churches, with men on the left and women on the right (when facing the altar). However, women covering their heads and separation of the sexes in church is common to many [[Oriental Orthodox]], [[Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] Christians and not unique to Judaism. Ethiopian Orthodox worshipers remove their shoes when entering a church, in accordance with [[Exodus]] 3:5 (in which [[Moses]], while viewing the [[burning bush]], is commanded to remove his shoes while standing on holy ground). Furthermore, both the [[Sabbath]] (Saturday), and the [[Lord's Day]] (Sunday) are observed as holy, although more emphasis, because of the [[Resurrection]], is laid upon the Sunday.
==References==
<references/>
==Source==
==External links==
*[http://www.ethiopianorthodox.org/english/indexenglish.htm html General Information (1)]
*[http://www.eotc.faithweb.com/ General Information (2)]
*[http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/ethiochurch/ History of the Church]
*[http://www.tewahedo.org/ Tewahedo Songs & Records]
*[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=7 CNEWA - Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church] by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
*[http://www.tadias.com/?p=2452 History of Ethiopian Church Presence in Jerusalem]. Tadias Magazine, New York, August 16, 2008.
[[Category:Jurisdictions|Ethiopia]]
[[Category:Oriental Orthodox|Ethiopia]]
[[Category: Orthodoxy in Africa]]
[[ar:كنيسة التوحيد الأرثوذكسية الإثيوبية]]
[[fr:Église d'Éthiopie]]
