Roles and Responsibilities of Ethiopian Orthodox Priests

Nov 21, 2025 0

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, with its deep historical roots, maintains a structured hierarchy and a rich tradition of priestly service. The hierarchy of the Ethiopia Orthodox Church is directly within the living tradition of the Universal Church. This article delves into the roles, responsibilities, and significance of priests within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

The Hierarchy of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church shares with many other Churches the belief that the Royal Priesthood of Israel and the Aaronic institutional priesthood have become one in Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest. The hierarchy of the Ethiopian Church consists of the traditional three orders of episcopate, presbyterate and diaconate. Etymologically, the word hierarchy means the rule of priests. It s derived from the Greek HIEREUS (priest) and ARCHE (rule).

The Episcopal continuity is the primary factor in the apostolic succession of the Church. It signifies the call and commission of the Apostles by our Lord, as well as the transmission of the apostolic faith. Since the Church maintains the Apostolic faith and is ‘sent’ by the Lord to proclaim it (cf. Matt. 28:19-20) the Church itself is Apostolic. The Apostolic ministry of preaching and of administering the sacraments is exercised in the Church.

The Ethiopian hierarchy it traced to the Church of Alexandria. St. Frumentius, a Christian from Syria, as the first missionary to Ethiopia and as closely attached to the Aksumite court during the middle if the fourth century, was consecrated by Patriarch Athanasius of Alexandria as the first bishop (ABUNA) of the Ethiopian Church.

Today the Ethiopian Church is an autocephalous Church in every respect, and it holds that its doctrine and hierarchy belong to the living tradition which has been transmitted to posterity since Apostolic times.

The Royal Priesthood

All those who are properly baptized within the Church are members of this priestly community. After the pattern of Jesus’ baptism and anointing with the Spirit the Church has the washing of regeneration, baptism, and the granting of the Spirit, Chrismation, (cf. Tit. 3:5). Following the ancient custom of the Church, the two are administered together in the Ethiopian Church. As the sealing of the Spirit, Chrismation constitutes the lay ordination into the sacramental and active life of the Church. Thus, every baptized and anointed persons is a member of the Royal Priesthood.

The hierarchical orders are special ranks within the Church, the People of God (LAOS TOU THEOU), from which the term laity is derived. The Apostolic, priestly and ministerial functions of the Royal Priesthood are a means whereby Christ works through His Body in the world. The Church being the Body of Christ acts as one body; and the ministry of the Church, thus, is a ministry acted as one whole.

Yet it is recognized that there is a distinction among the members based on the diversity of ministries and gifts of the Spirit, interdependent and interrelated among themselves. They include prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, contribution, aid-giving, merciful acts, apostleship, pastoral work, healing and administration (Rom.12: 6-8; Eph. 4:7-14; I Cor.12:27ff). The gifts are given in variety, but by the same Spirit (I Cor.12: 4ff). Thus, the hierarchy is not regarded as a separate class, but as a constituent part of the People of God.

All ministry in the Church is the ministry of Christ to the Church and through the Church to the world. Because of this, the hierarchy does not function separately but in close union with the laity in the Church’s teaching, worship and government. Within the wider ministry of the whole Church the hierarchy is set apart by further ordination.

The Ethiopian Church regards Ordination as a sacrament, and insists that for the administration of sacraments there must be validly ordained persons. By Ordination, one is given the divine grace for the fulfillment of a particular function, and thus one is set apart for that particular priestly ministry. It is to be fulfilled in the Church and is meant as a service to the world. The single grace of the sacrament of Ordination is distributed among the three grades of episcopate, presbyterate and diaconate.

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The Ethiopian Church recognizes that the inward essential authority of the Church is Christ Himself, who exercise it through the Holy Spirit, the Power of God that dwells within the Church. The institutional authority in the hierarchy is believed to express the activity of Christ.

Key Figures in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Being an autocephalous Church, the Ethiopian Church had its constitution based on the principle of self-government in which the hierarchy and laity share and co-operate. Even though Ethiopia had no national Patriarch until recent times, there bad always been an ETCHEFE besides the ABUNA to hold the administrative authority of the Church. The power of ordination and pastoral supervision belonged to the ABUNA, while the juridical responsibilities were the rights of the ETCHEGE. The ETCHEGE always was an Ethiopian, a celebrate monk, nominated by the Emperor in consultation with the Church.

The three-fold hierarchical structure, namely, episcopate, presbyterate and diaconate, has subdivisions under each of them. The Ethiopian Church has the custom of having numerous priests assisting the Rector of the local Church. In the cities, the Rector of a parish is made by appointment. Honorable titles are given to the Rectors of the important city Churches.

It is of interest to mention a few of them. NEBURA’ED is a title given to the Rectors of Aksum Church and of the Church of St. Mary, Addis Alem in the Shoa Province. NEBURA’ED means ‘one upon whom hands are laid’, and it refers to an office of authority. The NEBURA’ED of Aksum is also the governor of the Aksum district. LIKE SIRTANT (chief of the authorities) is the title given to the Rector of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa. There are, besides, other titles such as LIKE LKAWENT (chief of the learned), MELAKE SELAM (angle of peace), MELAKE GENNET (angle of paradise), MELAKE HAIL (angle of power) and others.

As a significant feature in rural areas the accession of the chief-priest to his status is not by appointment. One among the local clergy emerges to this status on the basis of character, ability, virtues and personal qualities. Besides the priests there is a group of deacons in every church assisting the presbyters in worship and administration. The class called DEBTERA is unique feature of the Ethiopian Church. As an order of singers, it corresponds in some ways to the choirs in other Churches.

Although the DEBTERA do not belong to the ordained hierarchy, they are a class by themselves, to be found in every Ethiopian Orthodox Church, closely associated with the priests and deacons in assisting the services of worship. They have their required education and practice in Church music. Their ecclesiastical dance, performed with solemnity and sanctity, makes their role in the Ethiopian Church distinctly unique.

Until the present day, many of the churches and church institutions have remained the source of basic elementary education for the Ethiopian population, and the hierarchy plays a key role in it. Most of the clergy have their required education in the ecclesiastical language, Ge’ez. A small percentage of them have received modern education.

The Priesthood: Service and Stewardship

Underneath God and His Law, the first order to revere in the ministry of the Church is the High Order and the Priesthood. This sacrament was instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He chose the twelve of His followers, and consecrated them for ministry, “He called His disciples to Him, and from them He chose twelve whom He named apostles” (Luke 6:13) These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them saying: “Preach saying, ‘the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.” (Matthew 10:5-8) He gave them the authority of absolution and binding: “Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). After His Resurrection He appeared to them in the upper room in Zion and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent hem two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go” (Luke 10:1) Selection: “As they (disciples) ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2, 3). That is why our teacher Saint Paul boasted saying, “But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace to reveal His son in me, that I might preach Him among the gentiles” (Galatians 1:15,16) consecration: “And for their sake I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (John 17:19). To sanctify means to consecrate. Christ consecrated Himself for the ministry and our redemption. All the ranks of the priesthood are consecrated for ministry, according to the example of Christ, the High Priest.

“Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Luke 12:42, 43) “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the Mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one is found faithful” (1 Corinthians4:1, 2) Priesthood is a great honor.

Ranks of Deacons and Priests

There are five ranks of deacons. Deacon’, pronounced as such in Greek, is a Syrian word meaning ‘servant’. The deacon’s responsibility is to help the priest or Bishop perform the religious ministry. The first church appointed seven deacons who were full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom to help in service, “The twelve summoned the multitude of disciples and said: ‘Seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom whom we may appoint over this business’” (Acts 6:2,3). “When they were chosen, they set them before the apostles and when they had prayed they laid hands on them” (Acts 6:6).

The apostles stipulated the following three conditions for nominating deacons:

They must be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
They should be appointed by the apostles through the laying on of hands with prayers.
They should carry out certain responsibilities in the church.

The word ‘priest’ is designated for a clergyman who spiritually serves people and their needs. The word ‘priest’ or ‘presbyter’, is derived from the Syrian word ‘Kashisho’ meaning elder, and the Greek word ‘Epresvateros’ also meaning ‘elder.’ It is so called due to the significance of his work and reverence given unto him even if he is not yet an old man. The word ‘elders’ (priest) is mentioned frequently in the New Testament: “They had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23) “For this reason I left you in Crete that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (Titus 1:5)

Is anyone among you sick? An elder is a priest of God and a minister of the mysteries of God. He has the authority to administer the Church Sacraments except for the sacrament of ordination (which only the Bishop has the right to do). Usually, the ordination of an elder takes place from the age of thirty, for this is when Christ the Lord started His service. At this age a person will have reached intellectual maturity to help him to manage the service respectfully. He must be husband of one woman and his marriage correct and legal. If he is widowed, he should not remarry another woman, for being the father of all women, he cannot marry one of his daughters.

Our teacher Saint Paul mentioned in his first epistle to his disciple, Timothy the Bishop (chapter three), many conditions for Bishops that also apply to the elders(priest) as their priestly work is one and their pastoral specifications are similar. This is the first and essential priestly rank. Priest means elder and also an intercessor in the holies of God for the congregation. He is a presbyter who has the right to administer all the church sacraments except the laying on of hands and appointing priestly ranks, which is the right of a Bishop or overseer or someone above him. He is a father who pastors his children compassionately, visits them with tender care and love as he is zealous for the salvation of the souls of his people and leading them to Christ, as his salvation is related to their salvation, “For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:8).

KHOORI-EPISCOPOS is a Greek word meaning ‘bishop’ or ‘villages’ or ‘fields’. Members of the Nicene Council in 325 AD included 15 Khooriepiscopos from Asia Minor and Syria. Lord Christ practiced this work of the patriarch when He “Lifted up His Hands and blessed them (the pure apostles).” Luke 24:50. Onwards the appointment of the Saint Apostles and their ordination of servile in the Holy Order of the Priesthood, the Ministry of our Holy Church has been administered by “The Sacrament of Priesthood.” This rite is not to be dilapidated, as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the one who made and blessed the ritual.

Unfortunate to our generation, the ordained servile in and outside the Holy Church, has been biased and besmirched. The Ethiopian Orthodox Incarnation Church has suffered much since her minsters are manipulated by the temptation of the world’s frill, scam and deviousness. The need for the restoration on the present priesthood therefore, is of the essence. We need to differentiate those in fraud and falsity to replace them with the right ordered of ordination.

Every parish has one. The role of the priest is to lead his respective parish. There are three duties of the priest-preaching, teaching and healing. Under preaching comes the Divine Services and Sacraments of the church, where he is the celebrant, or leader of the service. Also included in each service should be a sermon, an opportunity to preach the word of God. Second, the priest is a teacher. He conducts Bible studies, speaks to youth and adults in formal and informal groups. He teaches catechism to those coming into the faith as well as to those who are already Orthodox who want to learn more about the faith. The ministry of healing includes visiting those who are sick, in hospitals or in homes. The priest can conduct all the sacraments, except ordinations. Regarding the Sacrament of Chrismation, the priest may anoint someone with Holy Chrism.

Protopresbyter is an honorary title today, but in past centuries, it denoted who the first priest was in the community, at a time when communities were larger and served by many priests. Archimandrite is a title give to celibate priests, who are also give the privilege to stand at the head of the liturgical celebration. There is also the title of “Chancellor” which is more of an administrative title.

Every priest, when he is ordained, is given the consecrated Body of Christ from that Divine Liturgy, to hold in his hand, from right after the consecration until the time for Holy Communion. This is called the “Parakatathiki,” or the sacred charge of the priesthood. He is told by his ordaining bishop to “receive this Divine trust, guard it until the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, at which time He will demand it from you.” This is the scariest thing a priest will ever hear, and something that he will think about over the years, probably more so as he gets older. The charge is a meaningful one. A “trust” in financial terms, is a gift one receives from his or her parents, usually after they die. They can do what they wish with it. Just like a priest can express his priesthood according to his skills. I express mine with a lot of writing for instance. There is freedom and flexibility. However, there is also accountability. The priest know that he will stand before Christ and account for what he did with the people and the opportunities presented to him.

The Parakatathiki represents every person he will ever encounter as a priest, and he must be careful not to lose any of the people to whom he ministers, lest he lose his own soul and salvation in the process. I think about this often as I get older. The priesthood does not make one into a saint. Priests are people. They make mistakes. I know I have lost people from my Parakatathiki through carelessness.

Traditionally, a priest’s primary duty is the celebration of the Qeddase - in Ethiopia, typically five priests concelebrate - and other liturgical rites, particularly burials. Liturgical festivals feature rhythmic dancing, the chanting of hymns and the recitation of religious poetry. They require the participation of numerous priests, deacons and scribes, or debtera, a class of learned men unique to the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox tradition. As a rule, parish priests marry and start families. When not attending to their liturgical and sacramental duties, they rear their children (of whom a few are expected to follow in their fathers’ footsteps) and till the soil as farmers.

Penance Services

The service allows believers to confess their sins to a priest and receive absolution. It's a way for individuals to seek forgiveness and return to a state of grace, especially before participating in the Holy Communion.

Find a Penance Father: In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the "Penance Father" is often referred to as the priest or father-confessor. This priest plays a crucial role in the sacrament of Penance, where he listens to the penitent's confession, offers spiritual guidance, and grants absolution in the name of the Holy Trinity. If you don't have a penance father, the church highly recommends to explore and get your own penance father from your parish.
Confess Sins: The penitent confesses their sins to the priest, acknowledging their wrongdoings and expressing genuine remorse.
Get a Prayer of Repentance: The priest leads the penitent in a prayer asking for God's forgiveness.

Challenges and the Future

In Ethiopia, one can now discern tension developing between priests of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church - the historic church of the Ethiopian people - and the faithful. In the past, the priest was the natural reference point and adviser. Today, however, Ethiopia’s young, urban Orthodox Christians no longer perceive the priest as the only source of wisdom; they turn increasingly to their own experiences to find answers to life’s complexities.

Traditionally, Orthodox parents offer one or two sons - in rural Ethiopian families, five to six children are the norm - to the local parish priest for the priesthood or monastic life. The boys are expected to memorize passages of Scripture, the works of the church fathers, liturgical texts and religious poetry: Some priests can recite entire books of the Bible.

But as Ethiopia changes, the Orthodox laity, particularly among the urban population, are demanding more from their clergy. Long-held religious traditions are weakening. More broadly, most well-educated Orthodox Ethiopians know of the traditional education of their clergy and expect them to carry out baptismal and burial rites, to call upon the sick, offer the Eucharist and perform other liturgical services.

Meanwhile, as elsewhere in Africa, evangelical Christians are succeeding in winning new converts. These converts find the charismatic and informal services of the evangelical churches more participatory, as opposed to the Qeddase, which finds the laity participating largely as observers. They also believe the Western-funded evangelical movements are more dynamic and possess a clergy who are better equipped to help them negotiate their Christian identity with the modern world.

But the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is extending higher theological study to seminarians . Also, the patriarch is bolstering education for priests and deacons, sponsoring clergy training centers throughout rural Ethiopia. The Communist dictatorship that ruled Ethiopia from 1974 to 1991 confiscated church property, including the church’s Holy Trinity Theological College in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Once the regime was overthrown, the college was returned to the church, but it was found in a state of disrepair.

The laity has not been neglected. In church compounds throughout the country, daily instruction is broadcast over loudspeakers. One can even travel in remote areas and hear the teaching of the priests - in many of these areas there is no electricity, so power to run these loudspeakers is provided by small generators.

Are the efforts to educate and form the next generation of Ethiopian Orthodox priests enough to take on these challenges? Are there lessons the Ethiopian Orthodox can learn from the experiences of the church in the industrialized world?

Throughout its history, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has played a vital role in Ethiopian society, and the priests have been central to this role. Their responsibilities extend beyond liturgical duties to include teaching, spiritual guidance, and community leadership. As Ethiopia continues to evolve, the priests of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church will undoubtedly adapt to meet the changing needs of their congregations while preserving the rich traditions of their faith.

Ethiopian Orthodox Priest

Orthodox seminarians celebrate the feast of the Epiphany in Addis Ababa