Independence from the Patriarchate

The dependency of the Ethiopian church on the Patriarchate of Alexandria has always been a liability for our country. Perhaps there was once a practical need of bishops, clergy and spiritual guidance from abroad. The expansion of the Ethiopian church over the last two centuries, however, means that our kingdom is now already training its own clergymen and there is a strong religious infrastructure in the form of churches and monasteries throughout or lands.\nWith the Egyptian Patriarchate held hostage by Muslim conquerors we often have to wait a long time between the death of one bishop and the appointment of the next. It would be far more efficient to appoint our religious leadership from the ranks of our own clergy.