EOTC elects 6th Patriarch

Ethiopian News Agency (ENA)

Archbishop of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church (EOTC) Monastery  in Jerusalem, Abune Mathias, is elected as the 6th Patriarch of the Church.

According to the Patriarchal Electoral Committee of the Church,  500 of  the 806 participants of the election have cast votes for Abune Mathias in the elections held on Thursday.

The other four candidates namely Abune Yoseph, Abune Mathewos, Abune Hiskiel and Abune Elsa have got 98, 98, 70 and 39 votes respectively.

Vote counting was held in the presence of observers same day.

Archbishops, department heads of the patriarchate office, ancient monasteries and churches, clergy, followers of the EOTC and Sunday school students, among others, participated in the election of the new Patriarch.

Born in Sebu'i Woreda of the former Agame Awraja in Tigray State,  in 1934E.C., Abune Mathias was Archbishop of the Church's  Monastery  in Jerusalem.

The enthronement of the 6th Patriarch would be held on March 3, 2013 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.