Addis Ababa, 05 January, 2024 / 8:52 pm (ACI Africa).
The Catholic Archbishop of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia has urged the people of God in the country to respect human life and holy places so as to “properly” celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
In his Christmas message, which Ethiopians celebrated on Thursday, January 7, Berhaneyesus Demerew Cardinal Souraphiel said, “To properly celebrate the birth of Christ, let us give respect to the life of mankind, to the church of God and his holy places.”
“Let us get out of the spirit of selfishness, let death stop in our country, let peace spread,” Cardinal Souraphiel told the people of God in the country that is experiencing conflicts in the northern region.
Ethiopia’s Amhara region, which is the country's second-largest region, has been experiencing protracted violence. The last two-year conflict was cooled down through a peace agreement in November 2022.
However, another cycle of clashes broke out in the same northern region in August last year. The crisis between the military and local militia which became Ethiopia's most serious security crisis compelled Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to declare a six-month state of emergency.
