The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has forcefully condemned the “horrific and appalling massacres” of at least 60 of its faithful in Ethiopia’s Oromia region.
In an official condolence statement issued in Addis Ababa on October 26th, 2026, the General Assembly of the Holy Synod said the killings followed “brutal and merciless attacks” and described the violence as “disgraceful acts” requiring decisive state intervention.
According to the church, attacks on October 20th and 24th, 2026, left 14 worshippers dead at Gora Silingo in Merti Woreda, and 46 others dead at Tereta Chole Birbo in Sherka Woreda. The synod reported that 20 homes were burned to the ground and more than 20 individuals sustained severe injuries that required hospital treatment.
The synod expressed profound grief over the escalating violence, warning that the bloodshed in the Arsi Zone has continued without pause.
“The horrific and appalling massacres, forced displacements, and physical and property damage inflicted upon our innocent Orthodox Christian faithful in the Arsi Eparchy and in various other parts of our country have continued unabated and have been worsening over time,” the synod said.
“It is also worth recalling that numerous faithful have previously been killed in districts within the same zone.”
The church leadership stressed that the assaults violate fundamental religious tenets and constitutional guarantees.
“Such acts are entirely unacceptable under the teachings of any religion and are incompatible with the human rights of all people,” the synod stated.
“They violate the constitutional rights to religious freedom and to life, contradict both religious principles and the natural law of humanity, undermine our national values of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, and constitute inhumane acts that deserve unequivocal condemnation.”
Calling for justice and legal accountability, the church urged government officials to intervene and prosecute those responsible.
“The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church strongly urges the relevant government authorities to publicly condemn these inhumane acts and uphold our constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and freedom of worship,” the synod said.
“In addition to bringing the perpetrators of these shameful crimes to justice and ensuring the rule of law, the authorities are called upon to provide the necessary legal protections to prevent such barbaric acts from ever recurring and to fulfill their responsibilities accordingly.”
The assembly also demanded comprehensive security measures to shield vulnerable communities from further violence.
“We call upon the government to provide the necessary protection to our faithful wherever they may be, so that they are not subjected to similar attacks,” the synod said.
“We urge the relevant security authorities to give this matter special attention, provide the necessary protection until the problem is resolved, and take effective measures to prevent further threats and attacks.”
Following the statement, the synod announced that memorial prayer services, known as Fithat, would be held at the Monastery of the Most Holy Mary on October 26th, 2026, before being conducted across all Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries and churches globally on October 27th, 2026.
The church leadership added that it intends to meet with senior government officials to seek lasting solutions to the crisis.
According to a report published by BBC News, regional administrators attributed the violence to the Alliance for Survival, an armed faction encompassing the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The OLA has historically rejected allegations of civilian violence, insisting its armed campaign is focused on securing expanded political and social liberties for the Oromo demographic. Meanwhile, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has charged the group with orchestrating assaults on civilians as a deliberate destabilisation tactic.
Christians comprise approximately two-thirds of Ethiopia’s population, mostly belonging to the Orthodox Church, while Muslim citizens account for about a third of the country’s demographics.