The patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church was briefly taken to a
hospital this week due to complications arising from his high blood
pressure and diabetes. Informed sources in Eritrea report that he was
“treated” and sent back to his house-arrest.

The patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church was briefly taken to a
hospital this week due to complications arising from his high blood
pressure and diabetes. Informed sources in Eritrea report that he was
“treated” and sent back to his house-arrest.

Abune Antonios, as he is endearingly known by his people, was deposed as a
patriarch because of his firm stand against the flagrant interference of
the government of Eritrea in the affairs of the church, the closing of
certain churches and his demand that the number of clergy that were
imprisoned without trial either be given their day in court or released.

He was subsequently put under the most severe house-arrest in an
undisclosed location. No one has had access to him since. The 83 year-old
Pontiff is known to suffer from hypertension and diabetes, and has been
denied medical attention. A highly respected figure, his uncanonical
removal has remained a rallying-cry to all Eritreans irrespective of
religion.

The Eritrean government is one of the most brutal regimes, known for its
denial of the most basic human and democratic rights to its citizens. Many
evangelical churches and sects were shut down in May 2002 with their
pastors imprisoned. The Eritrean Orthodox Church, the oldest and most
ubiquitous religious institution is, for all intents and purposes,
nationalized. It is estimated that between 3000-4000 people are
languishing in Eritrea’s notorious dungeons and prisons.  Tens of
thousands young people continue to flee the nation’s forced conscriptions.

Please help publicize the casue of Eritrea’s persecuted church.

"Remember those who are in prison,
as if you were their fellow prisoner.
Remember those who are suffering
as if you were suffering with them…" (Heb. 13:3).

www.InChainsForChrist.org
(Voice of the Persecuted Church in Eritrea)