The following is an English translation of Bishop of Segeneyti Eparchy, Father Fikremariam Hagos’s address to the parish on Sunday June 16. The original (in Tigrinya) was posted by Asenna TV (ATV) and can be found in the link below:
A loving person is someone who receives everything done unto him with gratitude and admiration and responds with equal measure.
A loving person is someone who is patient, generous, kind, modest, and upright.
A loving person is someone who harbours no envy, feels no hubris, who is not boastful, who is not lead only by greed.
A loving person is someone who is not a headstrong and unforgiving.
A loving person is someone who finds pleasure in truth, hates injustice, and is resolute, faithful and hopeful.
A loving person lives in liberty and respects other people’s liberty.
A loving person serves his fellow brothers and sisters.
A loving person is ready to give his life for the sake of others.
A loving person listens to what others say and think and obeys their will.
For we are all endowed with these gifts, we are called upon to live by them.
We shall pray unto God Almighty to give us His grace.
We shall beseech Him to fill us with the Holy Spirit.
We shall pray unto Him to give us His grace so that we all would be able to respect each other, and look after our sisters and brothers.
We shall pray unto Him to give us grace so that the rulers and the ruled find the wisdom of leadership and following.
In the last three days, the Church has found itself defending alone against the government. For reasons we do not know and the real intent of which we are not informed, except the information that we are given that the action is taken in accordance with a directive from a higher up, the various services the Church provides to our people are closed.
Nobody could answer our question as to why the services our Church provides are not needed. The Church has the right to serve its people and the people have the right to be served by the Church. Why is it then higher authorities have closed our services?
It is not that we would disobey the government if it decides to disallow the services we provide to our people. However, it is not right if the government does not follow due process and a legal procedure in doing so.
It is not appropriate for law enforcement agencies who are supposed to teach us laws and lawful acts to break and violate the law themselves. For us to be law-abiding citizens, law enforcement authorities should teach us the law. For us to respect the law, law-making and law-enforcing authorities should respect the law.
In light of this, we do not understand why the directive to close our services is given via word-of-mouth. And we do not think this is an appropriate procedure. All our institutions are established with the express approval of the government. If the government decides that our services are not needed, we have a legal right to demand the Church’s lawfully-owned property are protected.
We call upon law enforcement agencies to stand for the purposes they are established for.
We call upon the police to stand for the purposes they are established for.
We call upon government administration to stand for the purposes they are created for.
We are civilians and there is no reason why armed soldiers come to our premises. What is the reason we are surrounded by armed soldiers? If we have committed a transgression, the charge should be made clear and pursued with due process. We are thus asking why despite the existence of law and due process the government is not following them. This is the question the Church is asking and it is waiting for an explanation from appropriate authorities. At this time, it is not right for us to defend our rights alone. We call government offices to be open to us to appeal our case.
It is always our desire to work together with mutual love, respect, and agreement for the common good and serve our people. It has never been our goal to stand against the government.
Everyone of us should live in truth and stand for the purposes we are called for. This is our position. Our mission obligated us to serve God and our people. Our Church did not start its services just after Eritrean independence. It has been serving its people right from its inception. Serving its people is the essence of our Church. The Church’s mission is not merely organising prayers at church. Faith without work is dead. As we are obligated to act upon our faith and live by it, we should be allowed to serve our people. Let us beseech unto God to bestow upon us all His wisdom, power, peace, grace so that we have righteous thoughts.
We are dismayed.
We are despairing.
We are crying.
A mother cries when her children are abused. It is a known fact that the abused and the abuser are siblings.
What saddens us most is the fact that government doctors have forcefully wrenched off oxygen cannulas from patients.
We all should understand that such acts are against the law and constitute as violations of human rights. A patient has the right and liberty to seek medical assistance and services from any medical institution of his choice. We do not get to choose for him. We have to respect others to earn respect for ourselves.
May God bestow upon us grace and peace and bless our country.
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