EOTC in Exile issues Statement of Declaration

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has remained true to its dogma and practices for centuries. The
Church has passed on its legacy from generations to generations, starting first with the
evangelism of Eunuch, the treasurer of Queen Candace of Ethiopia, who went to Jerusalem to
worship the God of Israel, and later through the missionary work of Abba (Bishop) Fremenatos.

Venerated highly by religious scholars and experts throughout the world and regarded as the
sources of pride and hope by the Ethiopian Orthodox faithful, the Church has sustained its
historic existence for the past two thousand years under the blessings and care of God.

However, we are not oblivious to the fact that this highly revered Church has also gone through
the rough tumults of history over the years. During the last 20 years, in particular, the Church
experienced the worst of this turbulence, when it was seriously challenged with a fundamental
breach of canonical law that subsequently led to a division within the Church and a deep sense
of grief among adherents of the faith. The division came from none other than the illegal
dethroning of the reigning Patriarch by the regime and replacing him with another.

Subsequently, the division further subjected the Church to undue pressure from external
forces, while giving way to the looting of its treasures and artifacts, and the improper practices
of the faith and of Orthodox dogma.

Mindful of this regrettable blemish on the Church, as well as driven by a genuine concern to
save it from continuing turbulence, a few true sons of the Church founded the Council of Peace
and Unity of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The Council resolved to bring the
Church back to its normalcy by embarking on a mission that would beget peace and
reconciliation between the Holy Synod in Ethiopia and the Legal Holy Synod led by His Holiness
Abune Merkorios in North America. Nevertheless, a small group of Archbishops within the
Addis Ababa Synod, squashing the voices of the majority membership of that Synod, thwarted
the peace and unity mission by announcing a statement that in effect wrecked the chances of
bringing about the desired unity of the Church. ln its content, not only was the announcement
one unexpected of Orthodox Fathers, but also lacked truth, clarity, and integrity of intent; given
these facts, therefore, the Exiled Synod has no choice but to issue this statement of declaration
to the adherents of the faith in the interest of disclosing the true circumstances that led to the
division of our Church and the ramifications thereof.

A. Concerning the Exile of the Patriarch

The statement issued by a small group of archbishops, after silencing the voices of the majority
membership of the Addis Ababa Synod under the pressure of the regime’s mighty force, made a
bogus claim describing His Holiness Patriarch Markorios’s alleged voluntary abdication of his
throne in these terms: “The heavy load of my work has affected my health condition for quite
some time and thus I submit that the Holy Synod take over the helm of authority and lead the
church.” This false claim, in effect, was a ploy to create confusion among the faithful about the
true nature of the Patriarch’s removal from the throne. As such, the Orthodox community
should be aware of these cardinal facts:

Even if the Patriarch were to declare that “l am ill and wish to abdicate my authority,” the decision to quickly force the election of a new Patriarch was done in violation of the canon law governing the Church, as denoted in Article 4, No. 77, which states that “an election cannot be conducted until the full recovery of the Patriarch from his illness.”

ln fact, the above referenced Article was put into full effect in the case of our first patriarch, His Holiness Abune Basliose, who was under ailment for about seven years and unable to discharge the duties of the Patriarchate fully. At the time, the great leaders of our Church, strictly adhering to the canon law, elected an Acting Patriarch to lead the Church while the reigning Patriarch was still ill. Eventually, following his death, the Synod elected His Holiness Abune Tewofilos as the second Patriarch of the EOTC in
accord with the tradition and practices of the Church.

Furthermore, it should be clearly evident to everyone concerned that neither a letter nor a
recorded voice exists that conforms tc the purported statement of the exiled Patriarch with
regard to his alleged illness, and the voluntary abdication of his throne thereof. Therefore, in
the absence of any credible evidence, other than the unsubstantiated allegation, it should be
obvious that the Patriarch was indeed forced out of his position under the orders of the
regime’s security forces.

It is also ironic that the esteemed Fathers in Addis Ababa also claim that “The Holy Synod is a righteous body guided by the Holy Spirit, and, therefore, Patriarch Abune Merkorios’s voluntary abdication of his position should be seen as a way of divine intervention, or a secret means to
an end of his reign.” Although the true believers of the Church are already privy to the fact of
this matter, we still want to expound further on this issue by listing these authenticated details:

1. Mr. Tamerat Layne, the then-Prime Minister of the new government that came to
   power in 1991 (1983 E.C.), declared at the time that the regime would not wish to work
   with the Patriarch. lt was subsequently resolved that, until such time that the new rulers
   stabilized the political uncertainty engulfing the country, the “Holy Synod should
   operate as is but with the Patriarch’s role being limited only to providing prayers and
   blessings,” which in effect meant stripping him of his normal duties as the Head of the
   EOTC;

2. ln a letter dated Meskerem 28, 1984 E.C. (Oct, 1992) and numbered 69/298184, the
   regime illegally issued an order to the Patriarch to vacate his office at the Patriarchate;

3. Subsequent to that order, His Holiness was forced out of his official residence by
   security forces on Meskerem 30, 1984 E.C. (Oct, 1992) and practically remained under
   house arrest in an undisclosed area of Addis Ababa for one year;

4. Still, in a letter dated Tir 15, 1984 E.C. (January 24, 1992), the Patriarch informed the
   then-President of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia, Melese Zenawi, PM
   Tamerat Layne, all members of the Holy Synod, and the Executive Director of the EOTC
   Patriarchate, affirming that there was no illness nor any other impediments that would
   prevent him from discharging fully and ably his Holy duties, adding that the esteemed
   Fathers of the Holy Synod knew perfectly about his ability to do so;

5. Despite His Holiness’s plea against his forced removal, the regime-orchestrated
   appointment of Abune Paulos as the fifth Patriarch was executed in violation of the
   canon law of the Church. ln the aftermath, the group that forcefully took over the
   Church’s chain of command placed the legal Patriarch in a life-threatening predicament,
   forcing him to stay in the underground basement of a burial site at an Entoto church,
   not too far from the capital city. Gravely concerned about the personal safety and
   security of the Patriarch, some faithful put together a plan that would escort him
   clandestinely on Tekimit 1, 1985 E.C. (October 12,1993) to neighboring Kenya through
   Moyale, a border town between Ethiopia and that country;

6. ln Tikimt 1985 E.C. (October 1993), His Holiness announced to all followers of the
   Orthodox faith around the world via radio and through a press release from his exile in
   Kenya that he is still the legal Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church;
   and

7. The events that we have outlined above were finally validated in recent times, thanks to
   both the current President of Ethiopia, His Excellency Girma Wolde Giorgis, and former
   Prime Minister Tamerat Leyane, who publicly corroborated the forced removal of the
   Patriarch in no uncertain terms. Even more importantly, we do have in our possession
   original documents that further offer evidence substantiating the facts enumerated
   above. ln fact, we are ready any time to show these authentic, historic documents to
   anyone seeking them. Despite these undeniable facts, however, the Holy Synod in Addis
   Ababa continues to deny the truth and still insists on alleging that His Holiness
   “voluntarily abdicated his throne,” a claim that was made in the most recent statement
   issued from Addis Ababa. Meanwhile, we wish to reiterate that the faithful should not
   by any means be fooled by an assertion that is devoid of truth, as well as an outright
   falsification of facts and events.

B. Concerning the Continuance of the Legal Holy Synod in Exile

ln the same statement of declaration, the minority within the Addis Ababa Synod has accused
us of “establishing a Synod in exile coiitrary to any historical precedence known to Orthodox
religion,” Yet we found this to be disingenuous in the sense that it was not intended to address
the issues associated with the forced removal of the Patriarch. The esteemed Fathers even
went as far as declaring that “Without the permission of the Holy Synod, even the celebration
of Fasika (Fthiopian Easter) outside of the Archdiocese of the Church is prohibited based on the
canonical law of the Church.” To confuse the faithful, they further cited the most venerated
religious figures of Orthodox Christianity, such as Pope.Saint Athanasius, 5t. Yohanes Afework
and Pope Saint Dioscorus, to validate their point, contending that these past saintly Fathers did
not establish a Synod in exile, even though they were banished from their church in which they
held the highest position of a Pope or a Patriarch. However, the reference to such Sreat
Orthodox saints disguises the truth, since it can only be relevant to a church in which its
stability and sanctity, as well as its basic principles of faith, have not been compromised; as
such, the cases of the saintly Fathers thus cannot be reasonably used to describe the crisis in
our Church, which has fallen under the control of a seemingly “foreign” force that is not only
hostile to the Orthodox faith but also has consciously breached the canon law of the Church.
Let us now look at the cases of the three great Orthodox Fathers as they relate to the
establishment of a synod in exile:

1. Saint Athanasisus, Saint Yohanes Afework, and Saint Dioscorus were all exiled as
   individuals, not as part of a group of high clergymen. As everyone who is familiar with
   Orthodox hierarchy knows, no one individual or a Patriarch alone is authorized to
   establish a Synod, run a Patriarchate, and consecrate new bishops. ln this connection,
   both Saint Yohanes Afework and Saint Dioscorus were placed under house arrest in
   exile, and this meant that they did not even have the freedom to act on simple religious
   matters, let alone establishing a Synod or appointing bishops. ln fact, their saintly
   biographies reveal that they lived the rest of their lives in prison and passed away
   without ever gaining their freedom.

2. His Holiness Abune Merkorios, by contrast, was forced into exile along with his fellow
   Archbishops, including His Eminence Abune Yisehaq, Archbishop of the Western
   Hemisphere; Abune Elias, Archbishop of Europe, Africa and Australia; Abune Zena
   Markos, Deputy Patriarch; Abune Gorgorios, Archbishop and Special Secretary to the
   Patriarch; and Abune Mekesedek, who at the time was Dean of the Theological College
   of the Holy Trinity and current General Secretary of the Holy Synod in exile. The exiled
   Fathers together established the Synod in exile, and have since expanded their
   missionary work, and will continue to do so as the legal Ethiopian Orthodox
   ecclesiastical body in North America. Given these facts, the futile attempt by the Synod
   in Ethiopia to liken our situation to the cases of the cited saintly Orthodox Fathers is
   masked in distortion of facts. Moreover, their pronouncement lacks the integrity that
   the Almighty God has bestowed on them as disciples of his teachings, while at the same
   time exposing the faithful to utter confusion and falsehood.

Another historical fact begs further explanation to counter the argument that the Addis Ababa
Synod has made. When Saintly Father Athanasisus, Patriarch of Alexandria, was exiled five
times, at no time did his followers attempt to fill the leadership void created by replocing him
with onother person. In fact, when the rulers of Constantinople tried to force upon them
someone on their “religious Father,” they vehemently rebuffed that order, thereby remaining
true to their belief rather than acquiescing to the regime’s demands. During the fourth century,
our religious forefathers in Axum took a similar action by reecting the accusations made
against Saint Athanusius by Constantinople.

Likewise, when Saint Yohanes Afework was falsely accused and forced into exile, his follawers cried out for his return and never accepted his replacement with an open arm. Upon his death, even his accusers felt so remorseful about what they did to him that they cried and pleaded in
these words, “Forgive us our Father,” but never mocked at him as their ex-Patriarch.

Similarly, Saint Dioscorus, who accepted his exile with grace and saw his suffering os a source of
religious atonement, sent his followers a message of exaltation reminding them that “the fruits
of the true religian are vested in you,” a message that resonated with them for as lang as he
was alive; it was a reminder that they believed in him until eternity, as they never wavered from
what he taught them, and still recognized him as their leader even when the rulers of
Constantinople named a replacement for him without their consent. As their loyalty to Saint
Dioscorus was unflinching, it was passed from generations to generations in the annals of
Orthodox history. Yet those who followed the orders of Constantinople accepted the
replacement af Pope Dioscorus and took a different route that made the religious division bona
fide.

ln keeping with the traditions established by our great Orthodox Fathers – Saint Athanasius,
Saint Yohanes Afework, and Saint Dioscorus – His Holiness Abune Merkorios has continued in
exile his godly work more resolutely than ever. The Almighty God has blessed him to be of great
service to the followers of the faith, as he leads a group of devout Archbishops,12 of whom he
appointed personally, who perform faithfully God’s work throughout the Diaspora Orthodox
community, The Legal Synod he leads has helped establish a growing number of churches that
are now under the umbrella of the Patriarchate, while at the same time making it possible for
the faithful to have their spiritual needs served well. The affiliated churches are growing in
number; the missionary work of the Synod is more expanding than ever; the faithful are
attending church services in greater numbers more than any other time; and a strong base for
communities of Ethiopian Orthodox faith throughout the Diaspora is being established with
great fervor. Above all, our community is more prepared than before to build a strong
Orthodox foundation; to leave a legacy that gives vibrancy to Ethiopia’s Orthodox faith; to
revitalize its unique history; and to pass these vital societal hallmarks to the generations to
follow.

C. Concerning the Peace and Unity Mission

The Council of Peace and Unity of the Ethiopion Orthodox Tewahedo Church embarked on a
mission of peace and unity, mediating between the Holy Synod in Ethiopia and our Synod so as
to unite the divided church though reconciliation. With the blessings of His Holiness Abune
Merkorios and the Synod’s full endorsement of this effort, a team of representatives was
named to present our case. Three conferences took place over the last three years involving our
team and representatives from the Addis Ababa Synod. Throughout the course of time, the
peace and unity mission was greeted overwhelmingly by almost all Orthodox Tewahedo
believers both at home and abroad and was awaited with a great sense of hope and optimism.

ln Ethiopia, the majority of the Synod’s membership, the clergy, Sunday School pupils and many
others concerned individuals and organizations all saw the reconciliation efforts with great
fanfare and exaltation. However, the statement issued by the Holy Synod in Addis Ababa,
following the talks in Dallas, was such that it not only undermined the process of the
reconciliation mission but also presented facts that were deceiving and distorted. ln essence,
that statement characterized our position in terms that were outright false. ln it, the Addis
Ababa Synod misrepresented the Legal Synod’s position describing it in these terms: “There is
no such thing as peace and unity within the Church unless we control the Patriarchate,” an
outright lie that had no credible support, Given this backdrop then, what actually took place
during the peace talks? What was the agenda considered for the negotiation? To answer these
and other related questions, the following points must be clearly understood:

1. At the outset, we found out that the team representing the Holy Synod in Addis Ababa
   had neither the will nor the authority to propose or accept ideas during the course of
   the negotiation. They presented the same old and debunked argument that “Abune
   Merkorios abdicated his throne voluntarily and that the Church must now move to
   selecting the sixth Patriarch,” a position that gave no room for further discussian
   because they had no authorization from Addis Ababa to do anything otherwise;

2. Since the Addis Ababa Synod has come under the direct control of the regime in power,
   the peace and unity mediation was doomed from the start, as was evident in the
   provocative statement released by the Synod that was detrimental to the negotiation
   even before the team had a chance to report to the entire Synod on the progress of the
   talks. On one hand, a team was sent to Dallas purportedly to negotiate with us, but at
   the same time the Acting Patriarch in Addis Ababa was making a statement in an
   interview over the media that was counterproductive to the negotiation, which in effect
   gave a clue about the malicious hand of the regime in the affairs of the Church, and
   therefore was really an effort in futility even to begin with; and

3. The team representing the Legal Synod in North America, by contrast, was charged with
   a full authority to negotiate with its counterpart and thus made every effort toward the
   settlement of the outstanding issues that created the divide within our Church. During
   the negotiation, we adopted a good measure of flexibility in our bargaining posture,
   proposing what we thought was a workable solution that would both address the
   breach of the canon law and yet offer due recognition to the reigns of both the legal
   Patriarch and the one that was placed on the throne in violation of Orthodox practices.
   To this end, our team proposed the reinstatement of the legal Patriarch to his former
   position, so that he will finish up his reign without any lasting damage to the canon law,
   and then to be followed with the selection of the six Patriarch when the vacancy
   becomes legally available. However, the latest announcement issued by the Synod in
   Addis Ababa made it clear that tirey never had the true intentions of finding solutions to
   the problem. ln fact, they appeared to play “the number game,” arguing that reinstating
   the legal Patriarch now, the fourth in the order of appointment, after the fifth Patriarch
   (the late Abuse Paulo’s) is going “backwards in the numbering order” and thus
   unworkable, which we found it to be a disingenuous way of looking at the issue at hand
   aswellas a clear indication of notwantingtofind a realsolution to a realproblem.

After probing the retrogressing behavior of the Synod in Addis Ababa subsequent to the Dallas
meeting, it became apparent to us that five of that Synod’s Archbishops have taken full charge
of making the decision, thereby overshadowing the voices of the entire Synod; they are active
members of the ruling party and thus charged with stymieing the peace and unity mission. We
also discovered that each had an ambition to become a Patriarch, and therefore it would not
have been in their personal interest to support the peace and unity effort even from the start.
Any possible return of the Patriarch to his throne would have apparently gone contrary to their
plot, as well as to the wishes of the regime to which they report.

From the facts stated in the foregoing, it becomes crystal clear that a small but powerful clique
of the Woyane regime, which orchestrated illegally the removal of His Holiness Abune
Merkorios from his throne 21. years ago, is still in charge and continues to disgrace our Church.

ln fact, this ruling clique is more determined than ever to subject our Church to relentless
infamy; destroy the sanctity of the Church itself as we know it; and weaken the spiritual
resiliency of the devout believers of the Orthodox Tewahedo faith.

Taking into account the events described above, the Legal Holy Synod in North America
examined thoroughly the state of the EOTC in both Ethiopia and the Didspora and has passed
the following resolutions:

1. Since His Holiness Abune Merkorios is stillthe legal Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox
   Tewahedo Church, the Holy Synod in exile condemns any illegal enthronement of a
   Patriarch for the EOTC in Ethiopia, because it would be a serious contravention of the
   Church’s canon law;

2. For more than 21 years, our Church has undergone a crisis of historic proportions, as a
   government-led coup d’etat against the legal Patriarch was put into effect, leading to
   the illegitimate ascension of the late Abune Paulos to the throne and the division of the
   church thereafter. That regrettable action was being repeated again, as five members of
   the Holy Synod in Addis Ababa, using the power of the regime, were mobilizing forces to
   install a “Patriarch” of the regime’s choice. Thus, based on the orders enshrined in the
   decrees of the Holy Book, the Synod directs that the true believers of the Orthodox
   faith, forever and in unison, oppose to, not recognize, or refuse to comply with the
   appointment of a “false Patriarch” in Ethiopia. The Synod further implores that the true
   Fathers of the Church in Ethiopia, especially those who stood their grounds for the
   peace and unity of the Church, refrain from participating in these questionable and
   ungodly exercises, which are indefensible in the court of both history and the Almighty
   God;

3. The Legal Holy Synod is deeply saddened by the fact that all those who stand for the
   peace and unity of our Church, including our religious Fathers, the clergy, organized
   Orthodox groups, and the faithful at large in Ethiopia, are being subjected to threats,
   intimidation or warnings, often coming from government operatives that oppose the
   return of the legal Patriarch to Ethiopia. These criminal practices against the Orthodox
   community are part and parcel of the sufferings that all other citizens in Ethiopia are
   being subjected to under the current regime in Addis Ababa. We are cognizant that our
   country is at a crossroads of political and social crises and that we pray to the Lord, so
   the suffering of our people will come to an end. Meanwhile, we are hopeful that
   Ethiopia will resurrect itself, and our Church will soon regain its freedom from the
   shackles of bondage. Meanwhile, the Synod wishes to counsel that the faithful engage
   at all times in activities that not only advance unity and peace for our Church but also
   foster a sense of fellowship and harmony between and among both the clergy and the
   laity. We hope you do so with greater care, wisdom, and stronger religious convictions;

4. The Synod was dismayed to learn that the political gang that had been waging a war of
   attrition on our Church for more than two decades has made recently the most ungodly
   claim of having “uprooted the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewhaedo Church from its
   foundation while annihilating the Amhara benefactors.” Besides allowing alien religious
   forces to undermine our faith, distorting EOTC’s positive contributions to Ethiopia’s
   history, encouraging Orthodox believers to turn against their own faith, this seemingly
   godless clique is running a government bent on destroying our heritage as proud
   Ethiopians. The statement quoted above offers clear evidence that Ethiopia and
   particularly our historic Church is under grave danger and that the regime has neither
   good intensions nor goodwill for people of the Orthodox faith, as would have been
   expected under a government of national unity. With this being the case, the Synod
   urges all the faithful to join forces to engage in prayers and vigils so as to publicize this
   danger while pleading to our Creator to give us solace and strength to save our Church
   from further destruction;

5. We believe that the Holy Synod is the messenger of hope and goodwill, and stands for
   what is right and what is always acceptable unto God. As an ecclesiastical body
   advancing the work of God, the Holy Synod abominates any practice that begets racism,
   ethnicism, or any other discriminatory treatment of human beings. ln Ethiopia today,
   the pitfalls of ethnic-based rule are causing havoc on our society. Even the most
   celebrated monastery, Waldiba, has not been immune from the misfortune befalling
   Ethiopia today, Dozens of monks and celibates are being persecuted for resisting the
   government’s desecration of the holiest of the holy site in that country. “The shrine and
   sanctity of our grand monastery must not be trampled with,” cry out the monks of
   Waldiba, but the response from the regime was a swift and merciless action of
   intimidation, physical abuse and imprisonment of those God-fearing Orthodox celibates.

   This meant that the monks in Waldeba have joined the ranks of journalists, human
   rights advocates, and political prisoners who are all languishing in prison for voicing
   their ideas, and, in the case of the monks, for objecting peacefully to the demolition of
   their sacred and holy sanctuary; consequently, they all have become victims of
   government abuse and official oppression. Given that the regime has caused untold
   atrocities on every segment of our population, the Synod has resolved to take a stand
   and become an advocate for those whose freedom and liberties are being crushed in
   Ethiopia. Ironically, this has come at a time when the federal holiday commerating the
   birthday of the most celebrated African American civil rights leader, The Rev. Dr. Martin
   Luther King, was before us. The issue of civil rights and liberties in Ethiopia is one that
   we intend to publicize to the rest of the world using every available means at our
   disposal, as Dr. King had done decades ago. ln keeping with the tradition of our own
   great Orthodox Fathers of the past, who sacrificed their lives for their religious beliefs,
   including the martyred Abune Pateros, Abune Michael, and the great Patriarch Abune
   Tewoflos, we in the Exiled Synod, guided by His holiness Patriarch Abune Merkorios,
   have resolved that we will stand for the freedom of our people in Ethiopia and work
   toward peace and unity of our Church, relying on the power of God and His blessings.
   There should not be any doubt that the survival our country is directly tied to the
   survival of our Church, and thus any weakening in our faith will undoubtedly have a
   direct bearing on the survival our beloved country, as well. Therefore, we call on all
   Ethiopians, especially those with strong ties to their country of birth, to rise up in unison
   and join us in solidarity and unity to voice our cries for freedom and liberty in the
   country that we all cherish so dearly and collectively;

6. To effectively carry out the objectives outlined above, the Holy Synod-in-Exile has
   restructured the Patriarchate and made some readjustment to its priorities. Accordingly,
   our plan to expand the number of Archdioceses and consecrate additional Bishops,
   which was on hold due to the now defunct peace and unity bid, will now go forward
   with new force and vigor. To this end, the Synod has strengthened the Office of the
   Patriarchate by appointing a three-member executive body charged with coordinating
   and monitoring the day-to-day operations of member churches throughout the globe;
   it consists of a General Manger, an Executive Secretary, as well as a Public Relations
   Officer. Yet this new direction will require the full participation of the faithful
   particularly in the Diaspora. Your ideas, prayers, and generous financial support are all
   critical to make a difference in executing the plan that has been put forward, and so the
   Synod is hoping that your will respond positively to our call for action;

7. During the last several years, the Exiled Synod has made a sincere effort to bring
   together the divided Church and the faithful in the Diaspora with some success, but still
   much remained to be accomplished, During the same period, many of the faithful and
   several churches had hoped that the divide within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewhaedo
   Church would come to an end through reconciliation and thus chose to remain neutral
   until that happened. However, that hope was dashed when the Synod in Addis Ababa
   aborted the peace and unity mediation efforts. Given this backdrop, the Holy Synod has
   now resolved that it has the moral obligation to bring all the Orthodox faithful and
   neutral churches under a reinvigorated Holy Synod that caters to the spiritual needs of
   the Orthodox community at large. By so doing, the Synod’s guiding principles will be
   “one country, one people and one church.” With this in mind, we pray that the faithful
   and those churches that are not affiliated with the Synod will join us to make this a
   reality. To those who are true helievers of the Orthodox faith, are genuinely concerned
   with crisis facing our Church, and have great ideasto rescue the Church from its current
   predicamen! we call upon you once again to stand up for freedom and liberty of the
   Orthodox faithful as well as the sanctity of our Church. Since the Synod has established
   a special taskforce to find ways that will bring all the divided churches in the Diaspora
   into unity, the group assigned for this purpose is ready to meet and discuss with
   representatives of neutral churches and others to build the groundwork that will be
   necessary to nurture unity, solidarity, and fellowship amongst our people;

8. The Synod believes that it has the responsibility of educating and informing
   international organizations, religious communities, human rights organizations, and
   governments around the work about the brutalities to which our clergy and our people
   at home are subjected. With this in mind, we have established a taskforce, consisting of
   members from among the Archbishops, the clergy, and the laity, the charge of which
   will be to give testimonials at international forums, as well disseminate information as
   necessary to publicize the danger that our Church is facing;

9. The recently announced statemont by the Holy Synod in Addis Ababa came from a small
   group of Archbishops who are in cahoots with the regime, and was made by suppressing
   the voices of reason expressed by others within the Synod. The statement sent
   shockwaves throughout the Diaspora Orthodox community that was awaiting for good
   news, with unprecedented fervor, to see the divide within the EOTC coming to an end.

   Flowever, the crisis facing the Church will only come to pass once we receive some
   redemption from our Lord. Our Church, throughout its history, has gone through many

   tribulations and historical adversities, one of which was the destruction inflicted on it

   and its treasures by Gran Mohamed. Many Orthodox scholars and believers have lost

   their lives in defense of our Church duringthis period of sheer destruction that lasted L5

   years. After the passage of that tumultuous period, the Church is still a symbol of “light

   in the midst of darkness.” Even with the current crisis, the Synod asks you—the faithful

   –not to lose hope but to pray and plead too our Almighty God for salvation. Having

   accepted the commandment of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Synod has taken up the moral

   obligation to propagate the words of the Gospel through a rejuvenated missionary
   program and reach out to the Orthodox faithful throughout the diaspora. As
   commended in the verses of the Holy Bible “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith
   your God” (lsaiah 4Ai7,” the Holy Synod is ready with new energy and zeal to comfort
   those that need to be comforted; those designated to do the missionary work of the
   Synod will be at your service from hereon;

10. Despite a three-year effort to bring peace and unity to our Church, which was finally
    thwarted by a small cadre of Archbishops who act as regime operatives within the Addis
    Ababa Synod, the Synod-in-Exile extends a heartfelt appreciation to the Council of Peace
    and Unity of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church for being so benevolent in their
    mediation and sacrificing their precious time, energy and resources for a noble cause
    that has both national and international implications;

11. At the same time, the Synod has resolved that the selection of the 6th Patriarch that was
    underway should be halted immediately because the silent majority within the Addis
    Ababa Synod was not in favor of it, nor the mediators and the faithful at large. We think
    that the peace and unity effort should take precedence over the selection of a Patriarch,
    who would be just as illegitimate as the one before him. Therefore, we are still
    acquiescent to the peace and unity mission, so that the divide within our Church can be
    overcome once and for all, and we are ready to do our part to bring a historic end to
    that divide; and

12. The Los Angeles meeting concluded with the final blessings of His Holiness Abune
    Merkorios, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Hosted by the clergy, the board,
    and members of the Dingil Mariam Orthodox Tewaheda Church in Los Angeles, the
    meeting was received with great enthusiasm and patronage. For this, the Synod gives
    special thanks to all the members of that Church; we are deeply indebted to the
    hospitality and graciousness that they exhibited during the course of the meeting.