Ethiopian Orthodox Church | Englewood, NJ

Serving New Jersey and the North East Region

Contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saint - Jude 1:4

Faith. Love. Worship.

Feast Days & Fast Days

Saint Michael Ethiopian Orthodox Church holds events throughout the year. Please check our parish life and events to stay up-to-date on scheduled feast days, fast days, special services, and remembrances.

Icons & Psalms Guide Us

We have placed various Icons, Psalms, Gospels, and relevant Holy Scripture readings on this page. Guests unfamiliar with Orthodox Christianity will benefit from the richness, holiness, and beauty of entering an Orthodox Church. For Orthodoxy, Icons and Holy Scripture are like a picture in a book. They are a central part of the Orthodox experience and has been true for most of the church’s 2000-year history.

Brief Review Of Icons

The Icon is for the benefit of worship and is common in the Orthodox Church. As such, they are not simple decorations. Most homes display photos of important family members that have paved the way. These family members are precious and always in our thoughts. They highlight the center-most area of our lives, our living spaces, with their image. They are there for ourselves and to share with others who enter our homes.

In the Orthodox Church, we keep in mind the faith of those who truly loved the Lord. The images of those who paved the way of the true faith are precious to us even in death and are revealing of God’s love.

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints

True Faith. True Virtue.

Again, the Church writes Icons. They often depict those who have kept the true faith of God in His Church, which holds the true virtue for man in this world.

Icons also render men and situations as subjects of various biblical narratives. These narratives connect human beings to God in eternal grace. Actions of cooperation, indeed perfection between men and God, formed our Holy Scripture and faith. It’s like this for all believers worthy of remembrance and veneration (NOT worship) since we are cooperative with God. We are, therefore, perfect in all our manners to reach that aim as the scripture instructs. As believers, we receive a blessing from those who were perfect in action and deed and whose prayers were just as perfect, full, and contrite. Even though they are no longer in this world, they are the Saints of God. We are happy to keep the beauty of their lives, not only on the church walls but, more importantly, in our hearts.

Psalm 145:10-12 and your saints shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and talk of your power to make known to men His mighty acts.

The Virgin Mary & Worship

Luke 1:39-45 Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb … why is this the mother of the Lord should come to me?
(Elizabeth - Mother of John the Baptist)

Luke 1: 46-55 from here on all nations shall call me blessed.

Luke 1:26:38 blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
(Saint Gabriel - The archangel of God)

The ancient church has kept the Virgin Mary in reverence, not worship. She is the mother of us all, the bride of Christ. The Church has no choice but to revere the bearer of our savior.

Holy Icons In The Ethiopian Tradition

Holy Icons were the first media used for teaching a mostly illiterate world during the dawn of the Church on earth. Icons are still used to channel the eye to holiness and worship of God in the Orthodox Church today.

Icons are written and not painted. They are read as a book, they are not simply images. It is an error to consider an Icon a picture.

The Icon of Christ expresses to the reader that He alone is the head of His Church.

Ephesians 4:15 even as Christ is head of the Church

John 10:30 I and my Father are one

Acts 8:37 I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
(Ethiopian eunuch)

Matt. 16:16 You are Christ the Son of the living God
(Saint Peter - The Apostle)

About Our Parish

Saint Michael Parish is a local Christian body of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) headquartered in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, East Africa. The parish is under the administration and governance of the Archdiocese of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in New York, North East, and the Central United States, His Eminence Abuna Zakarias Archbishop.

Over the almost 2000 year history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, since her apostolic founding in Jerusalem by the grace of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:26-39), she has remained diligent to keep the faith once and for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).

Goals Of The Parish

The parish's goals are to also serve the local community by providing material and spiritual resources as a beacon of hope and light in the world. We pray for God’s help as this is the true nature of Christ’s Church on earth (Matthew 5:13-16). Our Church is committed to our faithful members and maintains a wholesome and loving parish life. We enrich member’s lives with the beauty, serenity, and hope of the Christian family.

We are focused on devotion and worship of God in all aspects. Christianity is a living faith for each person; it embraces their life and is not just a Sunday activity. We accomplish this by maintaining bible studies, Sunday School programs, family counseling, fellowship, and outreach. We also facilitate the parish's liturgical and sacramental life following the teachings of Christ and His apostles.

Supporting & Standing With The Archdiocese

The parish supports and stands with the Archdiocese of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in the United States. We do this through our adherence to her administration and spiritual leadership. Without that support, no Orthodox Christian community can be truly apostolic as taught by the fathers of the ancient church. Most specifically Saint Ignatius (Kiduse Enatewos) of Antioch in the first century; a disciple of Saint Luke the Apostle.

Our Establishment

The parish was established by the will of God in the grace of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, October 1, 1994. This establishment was through (HE) His Eminence Abuna Matthias, Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Archdiocese of the United States and Canada. Our parish expanded the mission of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church to New Jersey. Here we endeavor to reach the people of African descent seeking and thirsting a deeper connection to God in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is found in ancient African Christianity, the root of the Orthodox Apostolic faith and the Christian Church in general. By all means, this mission seeks all people willing to accept the ancient Orthodox faith in Jesus Christ.

Maheber Kiduse Mika’el

Before the official consecration and Tabot installation ceremony on October 1, 1994, the assembly of believers organized under Maheber Kiduse Mika’el, also known as “The Assembly of Saint Michael.” It was incorporated in New Jersey through the permission of HE Archbishop Abuna Yisaq, making us the first Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church assembly and the first Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in New Jersey.

Founding Members

The founding membership comprised a group of faithful members and clergy from Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) in Bronx, NY. The Holy Spirit inspired them to provide New Jersey with its first Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) Parish.

The First Sacrament

The first sacrament performed by Saint Michael Parish was on the day of its consecration, a wedding. It was the first Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo matrimonial rite performed in New Jersey. It joined in Holy Matrimony, Brother Amde Tsion-Durden, and Sister Mareyam Kebra-Ruff.

HE Archbishop Abuna Yesaq

HE Archbishop Abuna Yesaq, after a commission by the Patriarchate of Ethiopia in Addis Abeba, came from Ethiopia to America. He was a true missionary father to the people of the Americas, most specifically those of African descent. He arrived in the United States as Abba Mandefro with two other monk priests and a deacon. They were joined by their American-born host Abba Michael Haitmann, who was tonsured a monk while in Ethiopia and subsequently ordained as a priest. He became the first African-American to be tonsured a monk and receive holy priest ordination in Ethiopia. One of the two other monk priests with him was the lifelong friend and Christian brother of Abba Mandefro, Abba Gabre Medhin, who is currently His Holiness (HH) Abuna Pawlos, the archbishop of Axum and Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

He endured the challenges of American life and paved a solid ground for the Ethiopia Church’s mission to the Americas. He was appointed by the holy fathers, consecrated by the Holy Synod Patriarchate, and became the first archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in the western hemisphere.

You Have Faith In Christ?

During his long tenure, he preached and taught thousands of people of African descent and encouraged them, often saying, “You have faith in Christ?”

“Good! You can now enrich that faith and henceforth keep that faith no longer by the western model, but instead, in accordance to ancient African Christianity in the Universal Apostolic Orthodox Church, which has been maintained unchanged from the earliest time in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.”

Part Of The Culture & Life

He graciously and prayerfully pushed for the EOTC to be for and part of the African peoples' culture and life in the west. Their ancestors were taken onto slave ships to never return to Africa and never knowing their true ancient African Christianity. This faith was established in Africa by apostles Saint Mark and Saint Matthew, as well as Saint Phillip in his interactions, teachings, and baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Jerusalem. HE Archbishop Abuna Yisaq, by the grace of God, his teaching was well received, and tens of thousands of believers accepted the ancient Orthodox Church and were baptized.

Today, tens of thousands of faithful members of African descent, both young and old, from all over the western hemisphere have joined established EOTC parish churches.

In the United States, two of the earliest parish churches to emerge from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church mission is Holy Trinity EOTC, located first in Harlem, NY (now in Bronx, NY) and Saint Michael EOTC in Brooklyn, NY (“the first Saint Michael parish”). There was also Saint Tekle Haimonot EOTC in Los Angeles, CA. Only Holy Trinity EOTC, the principal mission parish, and now the archdiocese seat in America, continues from these earliest parishes. It was the catalyst for Saint Michael EOTC Parish in New Jersey, “the new and current Saint Michael Parish.” HE Abuna Yisaq organized and blessed a small group of devoted members and clergy of Holy Trinity EOTC already living in New Jersey and encouraged them to begin the task of seeking property and the best location for the mission there.

HE Archbishop Yisaq desired to have Saint Michael EOTC Parish in New Jersey as a function of the EOTC mission and linked with Holy Trinity EOTC in the Bronx, NY.

After being commissioned by the Ethiopian Patriarchate, Abuna Abrham arrived in New York to organize and lead the restructuring of the Ethiopian Archdiocese in the United States and North America.

With this monumental task in hand, he immediately called on Saint Michael EOTC Parish to play a significant role in this process. Under his direction, the parish extended its resources to help navigate meetings, correspondence, and official documents. Saint Michael EOTC Parish oversaw and helped with design and renovations to the Holy Trinity Archdiocese building.

These renovations included the new salon on the second floor and the expansion of Basilios Hall. The parish had the official direction to oversee the new Holy Trinity Church design and construct next to the current building. Brother Amde Tsion-Durden, an architect and member of Saint Michael EOTC parish, headed the design team with the priest-in-charge of Saint Michael Leke Kahanot Zewdineh. Members from all the local parishes worked diligently and cooperatively on this aim. Eventually, they produced the final design and blessed it for construction.

HE Abrham made various pastoral visits to Saint Michael EOTC Parish to encourage the believers. He ordained a new deacon for the parish, Deacon Amde Tsion-Durden. This ordainment helped give real hope to the faithful and enriched parish life with this great blessing.

His Eminence (HE) Abuna Zakarias, the current archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Archdiocese of New York, Northeast and Central United States, has given the blessing of God for the desire, prayers, and great missionary work of HE Abuna Yisaq. Yisag's mission in America is reaching people of African descent through the Holy Trinity EOTC - Archdiocese in the Bronx Parish and Saint Michael EOTC Parish, and Saint Gabriel EOTC Parishes in New Jersey.

After his appointment from the Patriarchate of Ethiopia, HE Abuna Zakarias arrived in New York. He immediately embraced the historical work of the

Ethiopian fathers before him, encouraging members to “unite in faith and order.” Many members, separated for various reasons, were reunited by his fatherly embrace. He visited the Saint Michael Parish and blessed the people, reassuring them that Saint Michael has a “good future.” By God’s grace, Abuna Zakarias re-organized the parish, appointing a new priest-in-charge to replace a retired priest, ordained two new deacons, and tonsured a reader. Many members returned, and new members arrived looking for salvation in the ancient faith of Orthodox Christianity. There were then two weddings and almost twenty baptisms over twelve months.

Offering Thanks

We are thankful to God for HE Zakarias for bringing new vigor and zeal to the parish and the work of the EOTC mission in America. As a father of unity, it is right to note that not just the EOTC but the entire Oriental Orthodox Christian Community benefits from his blessed work.

Throughout The USA

Many new EOTC parishes are serving members all over the United States. May God bless the work of our fathers and rest the souls of our fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters who have tirelessly toiled in this vineyard and are asleep in the Lord.

Amen.

The EOTC mission strives to provide hope for people who need and desire the more profound spirituality of ancient African Christianity.

Today our congregation has faithful from all over the world. They are from Ethiopia, America, and the various West Indian and Caribbean countries. This diversity reflects the Ethiopian Churches success in its missionary zeal to reach “the scattered sons and daughters of Africa” around the world. It also reflects an acceptance of ancient Christianity by peoples of African descent. The West Indies, in particular, has a very vital and fruitful EOTC mission. This growth is due to people’s faith, commitment, and acceptance of the Church, as well as little developmental interruption over the last 50 years.

Peace and love.

Our Belief

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one true God (Heb 11:6, 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Romans 3:29-31, Eph 4:6)
The Father Almighty (1Cor. 8:6Rev. 1:8)
Maker of heaven and earth (Ex. 20:11, Gen. Ch. 1 &2)
And of all things visible and invisible (Jer. 32:17. Col. 1:16)
And in the one Lord (Acts 10:36) Jesus (Matt. 1:21) Christ (John 4:25-26),
The only-begotten Son of God (John 1:14),
Begotten of the Father before all worlds (1 John 4:9),
Light of Light, very God of very God (John 1:4, 1 John 1:5-7, John 12:35-37, John 5:18),
Begotten, not made (John 8:58),
Being of the same substance with the Father (John10:30);
And by whom all things were made (John 1:3);
Who for us men and for our salvation (Mat 1:21) came down from heaven (John 3:31),
And was incarnate of the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God (Luke 2:6),
By the Holy Ghost (Luke 1:35), and became man (John 1:14);
And was crucified for us (Mark 15:25) in the days of Pontius Pilate (Matt 27:22-26);
And suffered, and died, and was buried (Matt 27:50-60);
And the third day rose again (Matt 28:6) according to His will (1.Cor 15:4),

And ascended into heaven (Luke 24:51), and sat on the right side of the Father (Mark 16:19); and shall Come again in His great glory (Matt 25:31),
To judge both the quick and the dead (2 Tim 4:1);
Whose kingdom shall have no end (Luke 1:33);
And in the one living Holy Spirit (John 14:26),
The life-giving Lord of all (2cor 3:17-18, Is. 6:8, Acts 28:25 Rom 8:2, 2.Cor 3:6),
Who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26):
And who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified (Rev. 4:8),
Who spoke by the Prophets and Apostles (2 Peter 1:21);
And in the One (John 10:16), Holy (Eph 5:26-27, 2 Peter 2:5&9),
Catholic (Rom 10:18 "Catholic" means universal or comprehensive, as well as "relating to the ancient undivided Christian church")
And Apostolic (Eph 2:20) Church;
And we acknowledge one Baptism (Eph. 4:5) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38),
And look for the resurrection of the dead (Rom 6:5),
And the new life in the world to come (Mat. 25:34. Rev. 21:1-7).