Ewostatewos
Encyclopedia
Ewosṭatewos was an important religious leader of the Ethiopian Church. He was a forceful advocate for the Ethiopian form of observing the Sabbath. His followers, known as the House of Ewostatewos (individuals are known as Ewostathians), have been a historic force in the Ethiopian church.
as Ma`iqabe Igzi (ማዕቃበ እግዚ Māʿiqāba ʾIgzī, modern Māʿiqābe ʾIgzī) to father Kristos Mo'a (ክሪስቶስ ሞአ Kristōs Mōʾā) and mother Sine Hiywet (ሥነ ሕይወት Śina Ḥiywat, modern Sine Hiywet). According to the 16th century Gadl (or Vita
) of his pupil, Ananya, Ewostatewos was born in the Tsira` district of eastern Tigray
(pre-1995 Kilte Awulaelo awrajja
located in the current Misraqawi Zone
) near where he would later found the monastery of Debre Tserabi. Around 1280, while still young, he was sent to live with his uncle Abba
Daniel (monastically known as Zekaryas), the abbot of Debre Maryam on mount Qorqor in Gar'alta. Daniel provided him with his earliest education and introducing him to monastic life. Ma`iqabe Igzi announced his intention to become a monk at 15 and with his decision was renamed to Ewostatewos.
. There he attracted a large number of students, and explained his views until the arrival of Abuna
Yaqob (c. 1337), who was opposed to his views. Ewostatewos, accompanied by most of his disciples including Bakamos Marqorewos and Gabra Iyasus, left Ethiopia. He first reached Cairo
, where he met Patriarch Benjamin of Alexandria
and defended his views before the church leader. He then visited Jerusalem, and eventually travelled to Armenia
, where he died.
Ewostatewos view of the Sabbath was that it should be observed on both Saturday and Sunday: Saturday for the Old Testament
, and Sunday for the New
, finding support for his views in the Ten Commandments
and the Canons of the Apostles
. This later became the practice of the Ethiopian church. Taddesse Tamrat cites evidence that suggests that Ewostatewos' interpretation of the Sabbath was not his innovation, but had been practiced in the Coptic
church before his time, and was only declared heretical
in Egypt a few centuries before.
. His followers later spread across northern Ethiopia, founding new monasteries that not only promoted Ewostatewos' interpretation of the Sabbath, but created a religious hierarchy that was independent of the Abuna. Their persistence eventually led to their success in 1450 at the Council of Debre Mitmaq in Tegulet, where Emperor Zara Yaqob
was able to convince the Egyptian leadership to acquiese to this local observance.
James Bruce
notes that the leader of this order, at the time of his visit to Ethiopia, was the abbot of Mahebar Selassie, in the northwestern corner of that country.
Early life
Ewostatewos was born on 21 HamleEthiopian calendar
The Ethiopian calendar , also called the Ge'ez calendar, is the principal calendar used in Ethiopia and also serves as the liturgical calendar for Christians in Eritrea belonging to the Eritrean Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Church and Lutheran Evangelical Church of Eritrea...
as Ma`iqabe Igzi (ማዕቃበ እግዚ Māʿiqāba ʾIgzī, modern Māʿiqābe ʾIgzī) to father Kristos Mo'a (ክሪስቶስ ሞአ Kristōs Mōʾā) and mother Sine Hiywet (ሥነ ሕይወት Śina Ḥiywat, modern Sine Hiywet). According to the 16th century Gadl (or Vita
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
) of his pupil, Ananya, Ewostatewos was born in the Tsira` district of eastern Tigray
Tigray Province
Tigray was a province of Ethiopia. The Tigray Region superseded the province with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995. The province of Tigre merged with its neighboring provinces, including Semien, Tembien, Agame and the prominent Enderta province and towards the end of 19th century it...
(pre-1995 Kilte Awulaelo awrajja
Provinces of Ethiopia
Until 1995 Ethiopia was divided into provinces, further subdivided into awrajjas or districts. They were replaced by regions and two chartered cities with the adoption of a new constitution that year...
located in the current Misraqawi Zone
Misraqawi Zone
Misraqawi is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Misraqawi is bordered on the east by the Afar Region, on the south by Debubawi , on the west by Mehakelegnaw and on the north by Eritrea. Its highest point is Mount Asimba...
) near where he would later found the monastery of Debre Tserabi. Around 1280, while still young, he was sent to live with his uncle Abba
Ab (Semitic)
Ab means "father" in most Semitic languages, sometimes extended to Abba or Aba.-Arabic:Ab , from a theoretical, abstract form ʼabawun is Arabic for "father"...
Daniel (monastically known as Zekaryas), the abbot of Debre Maryam on mount Qorqor in Gar'alta. Daniel provided him with his earliest education and introducing him to monastic life. Ma`iqabe Igzi announced his intention to become a monk at 15 and with his decision was renamed to Ewostatewos.
Career as a Religious
After being professed a monk by his uncle, Ewostatewos left the community and founded his own monastery in Seraye, now part of EritreaEritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
. There he attracted a large number of students, and explained his views until the arrival of Abuna
Abuna
Also see Leaders of ChristianityAbun is the honorific title used for any bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as well as of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church...
Yaqob (c. 1337), who was opposed to his views. Ewostatewos, accompanied by most of his disciples including Bakamos Marqorewos and Gabra Iyasus, left Ethiopia. He first reached Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, where he met Patriarch Benjamin of Alexandria
Pope Benjamin II of Alexandria
Pope Benjamin II of Alexandria was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark between 1327 and 1339....
and defended his views before the church leader. He then visited Jerusalem, and eventually travelled to Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, where he died.
Ewostatewos view of the Sabbath was that it should be observed on both Saturday and Sunday: Saturday for the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, and Sunday for the New
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, finding support for his views in the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
and the Canons of the Apostles
Canons of the Apostles
The Apostolic Canons or Ecclesiastical Canons of the Same Holy Apostles is a collection of ancient ecclesiastical decrees concerning the government and discipline of the Early Christian Church, first found as last chapter of the eighth book of the Apostolic Constitutions and belonging to genre of...
. This later became the practice of the Ethiopian church. Taddesse Tamrat cites evidence that suggests that Ewostatewos' interpretation of the Sabbath was not his innovation, but had been practiced in the Coptic
Coptic Christianity
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the official name for the largest Christian church in Egypt and the Middle East. The Church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family of churches, which has been a distinct church body since the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, when it took a different...
church before his time, and was only declared heretical
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
in Egypt a few centuries before.
Influence on the Ethiopian Church
After his death, his students and disciples continued to advocate Ewostatewos' religious views. When Ewostatewos left Ethiopia, he had entrusted his community to his senior disciple Abba Absadi, who had a difficult time keeping the community together until the other disciples returned to Ethiopia after a 14 year absence. Together they helped him establish a community at Debre MariamDebre Mariam
Debre Mariam is a monastery in Eritrea, founded by Abba Absadi, a disciple of the monk Ewostatewos between 1340-1350. The monastery is located at the confluence of the Obel and Gash Rivers. Since its founding the monastery acquired an extravagant manuscript library. Debre Mariam was the preeminent...
. His followers later spread across northern Ethiopia, founding new monasteries that not only promoted Ewostatewos' interpretation of the Sabbath, but created a religious hierarchy that was independent of the Abuna. Their persistence eventually led to their success in 1450 at the Council of Debre Mitmaq in Tegulet, where Emperor Zara Yaqob
Zara Yaqob
Zar'a Ya`qob or Zera Yacob was of Ethiopia , and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
was able to convince the Egyptian leadership to acquiese to this local observance.
James Bruce
James Bruce
James Bruce was a Scottish traveller and travel writer who spent more than a dozen years in North Africa and Ethiopia, where he traced the origins of the Blue Nile.-Youth:...
notes that the leader of this order, at the time of his visit to Ethiopia, was the abbot of Mahebar Selassie, in the northwestern corner of that country.