(Photo by Amanuel Sileshi / AFP)AFPNairobi: Two young Orthodox Christians were killed in an attack on a church in southern Ethiopia on Saturday, according to a report by a religious media outlet. The incident comes against a backdrop of tensions in the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church after rebel bishops created their own synod in Oromia, the country's most populous region. The Church, headed by Patriarch Abune Mathias for a decade, has declared the breakaway synod illegal and excommunicated the bishops involved. The World Council of Churches on Friday issued a statement voicing "deep concern" about the developments in the Ethiopian institution. "We call upon all political leaders in Ethiopia to support the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in its efforts to achieve unity and peace among its members," WCC general secretary Jerry Pillay said.

Source: Ethiopian News February 04, 2023 21:49 UTC