Last weekend Eritrean security forces entered a Presbyterian church and detained the pastor and 80 members of the congregation.  The raid occurred at the end of the Sunday worship service at Mehrete Yesus Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Asmara.

Following the raid Pastor Zecharias Abraham and around 80 of his parishioners were detained. Among the worshippers on the day were some foreign nationals at least three of them Americans.

Mehret Yesus Church was one of the few churches that had escaped the decree that closed down all churches not belonging to the Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran Churches of Eritrea, five years ago. At the time of his detention Reverend Zecharias was serving as the current head of the Eritrean Evangelical Alliance, following the arrest of Haile Naizghi who was detained in May 2004.

Four days after the arrests, the Americans were allowed to leave, on condition that they do not teach or preach.  At last report, Rev Zecharias, church elder Mikias Mekonnen, and an unknown number of others remain in custody.

Only days earlier, the government announced the appointment of a new patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Eritrea.  Priests, monks, and members of the church reject the appointment as illegitimate and contrary to the church’s constitution.

In direct violation of the church’s canon laws, the Asmara government stripped ordained Eritrean Patriarch Abune Antonios of his ecclesiastical authority in August 2005, after he protested the imprisonment of three priests from the Medhane Alem Orthodox Church.

The government replaced him with Yoftahe Dimetros, a layman appointed as interim administrator of the church.

Antonios was officially removed from office in January 2006, when he was placed under formal house arrest. Four months ago, his patriarchal vestments and insignia were taken away from him by force.

Since he was placed under house arrest, Patriarch Antonios has been prevented from attending Orthodox worship services or receiving Holy Communion.

Previous related posts: