# Discourse Against Catholic Doctrine in Tegray
(Ethiopia): A Nineteenth Century Text

Stéphane Ancel

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Stéphane Ancel. Discourse Against Catholic Doctrine in Tegray (Ethiopia): A Nineteenth Century Text. Aethiopica, International Journal for Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies, 2012, 15, pp.92-104. halshs-00799876

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Discourse against Catholic Doctrine in Təgray (Ethiopia):
A Nineteenth Century Text

STÉPHANE ANCEL, Universität Hamburg

The article deals with a peculiar document that was found during a field re-
search conducted by the team of the Ethio-SPARE project<fnref n="1" /> during the spring
of 2010 in church libraries of Gulo Mākāda wäräda, north-east Təgray (his-
torical ʿAgame<fnref n="2" />). During the field mission, a number of interesting, previously
unknown documents related to the history of the region came to light.
Among them, there is a Gəʿəz text written during the 19th century and dedi-
cated to the refutation of the Catholic doctrine. Because of its apparent histor-
ical significance, the text and its translation are presented here.

After the unsuccessful attempts of the 16th–17th centuries, Catholic mis-
sionaries arrived in Ethiopia and attempted to establish missions again at the
end of the 1830’s. Despite their initial intention to settle in central regions
of Ethiopia (such as Gondär, Bägemder or Goğğam), the political circum-
stances brought them towards the eastern part of Təgray.<fnref n="3" /> In 1838, Fr. Giu-
seppe Sapeto was in ʿAdwa. In 1843, dāğğazmač Wəbe Haylä Maryam, the
ruler of Təgray (1835–1867) permitted Dr. Schimper to settle in ʾĒnṭiččo
where he was able to attract some proselytes. In 1844, Mgr de Jacobis estab-
lished a mission in Golʿa4, in the vicinity of the town of ʿAddigrat, the polit-
ical centre of the ʿAgame rulers. In 1845, he also established a mission in
ʾAlitena, at the northern frontier of the realm of the šum ʿagamä, in the
ʿIrob region5. It soon turned out that the further development of missions

<footnote n="1">¹ From 24 April to 24 May 2010. See for more details the report of the mission: http://www1.uni-hamburg.de/ethiostudies/ETHIOSPARE/missions.html.</footnote>

<footnote n="2">2 “ʿAgame” or “ʿAgamä” was the name given to the north-eastern corner of Təgray comprising the wäräda of Gulo Mäkäda, Ganta Afäšum, Subha Şaaşe, Dallol and Kələttä Bäläza until 1974; cf. TSEGAY BERHE G. LIBANOS 2003: 137–138. The ʿAgame region is known as an important historical area with many remains from the Sabaean and Aksumite times. LECLANT – MIQUEL 1959: 108–31; GODET 1977: 19–113.</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³ Cf. among other works: CRUMMEY 1972: 59–91; O’MAHONEY 1982: 17–53. See also COULBEAUX 1929.</footnote>

<footnote n="4">⁴ Also known as Gwala or Gouala.</footnote>

<footnote n="5">⁵ “ʿIrob” is a self designation of three Saho subgroups. They live on the eastern plateau, south of the ʾÆndäli River which marks the current border between Eritrea and the north-eastern corner of Təgray. Cf. VOIGT 2007: 187a–188b.</footnote>
in ʿAdwa and in ʾEnṭiẓče was not possible;<fnref n="6" /> however, those in ʿAgame, Golʿa and ʾAlitena, became enduring Catholic settlements.

As commonly known, the Catholic missionaries faced strong opposition from both the political leaders of different scales, and from the hierarchs of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The nature of the Orthodox opposition to the Catholics is basically known to us chiefly from the missionary sources. The Catholic missionaries left us detailed narratives about the persecutions carried out against them, focusing on the role played by the metropolitans of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and other important figures of the Ethiopian politics.<fnref n="7" /> In their reports, they provided less detail about the opposition they faced from the side of the local Orthodox clergy or common faithful. This can be explained by their intention to present some spectacular facts rather than the daily life in Europe, and common problems of the Catholic missions in Ethiopia.

In general, we are familiar with the Orthodox position towards the presence of Catholics in Ethiopia, but we do not know much about the argumentation used by the Orthodox in their debates with the Catholic missionaries during the 19th century. Some Gʿez texts refuting the Catholic doctrine were written during the 16th century.<fnref n="8" /> In comparison, we do not have any Ethiopian anti-Catholic writings from the 19th century. The weak development of Catholic missions and their confinement to Təgray may explain this fact. As far as the famous 19th century religious controversies are concerned, Ethiopian sources mostly focus on the struggle between Qʾabʿat, Sägga ləğğ and Täwahədo movements, rather than on the local Ethiopian opposition towards the Catholic doctrine.

The short treatise refuting the Catholic faith presented below was found in the manuscript collection of the church (däbr) Däbrä Gännät Qəddəst Maryam Säbäya, located in the town of Säbäya, near the frontier of ʿIrob wäräda and Eritrea.<fnref n="9" /> Säbäya<fnref n="10" /> is located at mid distance between ʿAddigrat and ʾAlitena, on the road linking the two towns, which both accommodated

<footnote n="6">⁶ The fiefdom of ʾEnṭiẓče was given to the Protestants in 1848. Cf. O’MAHONEY 1982: 80–81.</footnote>

<footnote n="7">⁷ In addition to the quoted bibliography, see *Annales de la congrégation de la mission ou Recueil de lettres édifiantes écrites par les prêtres de cette congrégation employés dans les missions étrangères*, vols. 1–34 (1840–1869).</footnote>

<footnote n="8">⁸ For example the *Mäzgäbä haymanot* (‘the Treasury of the Faith’) and the *Mäṣhetä ləbbunna* (‘Mirror of the Intelligence’). Cf. CERULLI 1960.</footnote>

<footnote n="9">⁹ The exact location is Gulo Mäkäda wäräda, tabiya Säbäya, qušät Säsähayto.</footnote>

<footnote n="10">¹⁰ The region of Säbäya, where numerous aksumite and sabaean remains could be identified, was already glanced at by the French archeologists Jean Leclant and André Miquel during the 1950’s. LECLANT – MIQUEL 1959: 109–111.</footnote>
significant Catholic missions. The treatise is included in the Four Gospels book (*arbaʿtu wängel*) of the church.<fnref n="11" /> Bound in the traditionally typical way (two wooden boards, leather covering), the manuscript (164 fols. in 19 quires) can be dated back to the second half of the 18th century. In fact, a certain ʾIyasu is mentioned in the supplication formulas, and one wonders if the name may refer to kings ʾIyasu II (r. 1730–1755) or ʾIyasu III (r. 1784–1788).<fnref n="12" />

The short, untitled text was written on the fly-leaves of the manuscript (fols. 1v–2v), in two columns per folio, with the total of 6 text columns.<fnref n="13" /> The handwriting is careful and can be dated back to the second half of the 19th century. The author of this text is a certain Gäbrä Həywät. In his treatise, he confronts precepts, usually ascribed in Ethiopia to the Catholic doctrine, with arguments he sources from the Holy Scriptures and a few Gəcəz works. The *Filioque*, the nature of Christ and the hypostasis union are the main topics of the text. Without surprise, the author is strongly influenced by the two main Ethiopian theological works dealing with Catholic doctrine, known at that time: the *Mäzgäbä haymanot* and the *Mäṣhetä ləbunna*. Even more surprising is that the author ascribes the following formula concerning the *Unction of Christ* to the Catholics: “the Father is the anointer, the Son is the anointed one, the Holy Spirit is the ointment”.<fnref n="14" /> However, we know that this is a statement shared by both Qəbʿat and Sägga ləğğ movements<fnref n="15" />. In other words, as a follower of *Täwahedo*, the author of the treatise simply associates the Catholic teaching with the doctrines of the competitive movements at that time. Moreover, the author tries to shock the Ethiopian believer with further “anti-Catholic” arguments, by elaborating on the issues of the supremacy of Rome, the place of menstruated women, the role of martyrs and saints in salvation, and the time of the infant baptism.

So far, it has been impossible to identify the author of the treatise, or find out where exactly the text was composed. No other copies of the text have come to light. However, taking into consideration the literary form (discourse) of the work and the place where it was found (the area of the active Catholic preaching), we can assume that the text is a summary of the anti-

<footnote n="11">¹¹ The shelfmark of this manuscript is SM-003 in the Ethio-Spare database.</footnote>

<footnote n="12">¹² See supplication formula at the end of the Gospel of Matthew on fol. 59vb, line 16, and at the beginning of the Gospel of Luke on fol. 88r, line 5.</footnote>

<footnote n="13">¹³ Fol. 1v: column *a* and *b*, 20 cm height, 9 cm width, 24 lines; fol. 2r: column *a*, 22.5 cm height, 10 cm width, 28 lines; column *b*, 23 cm height, 11.5 cm width, 28 lines; fol. 2v: column *a*, 21.5 cm height, 11 cm width, 28 lines; column *b*, 22 cm height, 10 cm width, 28 lines.</footnote>

<footnote n="14">¹⁴ Fol. 2rb, lines 12–13.</footnote>

<footnote n="15">¹⁵ GETATCHEW HAILE 1990: 34 (text), 31 (tr.); TEDROS ABRAHA 2010: 454. Thesis already developed during the reign of Susneyos (1607–1632). Cf. GUIDI 1900: 11–12.</footnote>
Discourse against Catholic Doctrine in Təgray (Ethiopia): A Nineteenth Century Text

Catholic argumentation, possibly used by the Orthodox priests, and a witness of the local attitude towards the Catholic missionary activities. The treatise does not provide any hints to the political issues of the Catholic settlement in Ethiopia. However, it does highlight some elements of the discourse against Catholic faith in the context of the emergence of a strong religious Täwaḥ identity.

<figure><img src="image_3.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 1: Manuscript SM-003, fol. 1v</figcaption></figure>
<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 2: Manuscript SM-003, fol. 2r</figcaption></figure>
<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 3: Manuscript SM-003, fol. 2v</figcaption></figure>
Text

[Fol. 1va, l. 1] ንዌጥን ፣ በረድኤት ፣ እግዚአብሔር ፣ ጸሒፈ ፣ ሃይማኖት ፣ አበው ፣ ቀደ ምት ፳ወዪሐዋርያት ፣ ፫፲፲ወጀርቱሃዓነ ፣ ሃይማኖት ፣ ወይቤሉ ፣ አብ ፣ ወላዲ ፣ ወልድ ፣ ተወላዲ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ሠራዒ ፣ መለካውያንሰ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ሠረፀ ፣ እምአብ ፣ ወእምወልድ ፣ ወንመይጥ ፣ ሎሙ ፣ ቃሉ ፣ እምክመሰ ፣ አሠረፀ ፣ ወልድ ፣ ለመ ንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ወሰለደ ፣ ወልድ ፣ ግብረ ፣ አቡሁ ፣ ወረክበ ፣ ፪ቱ ፣ ግብራተ ፣ አሥርዑተ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ወተወልዶ ፣ እምአብ ፣ ወሐፀ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ እምወልድ ፣ እስ መ ፣ ሠረፀ ፣ እምወልድ ። ወንጌልኒ ፣ ይብል ፣ ጸራቅሊጦስሃ ፣ ዘወጽአ ፣ እምአብ ፣ እፌ ኑ ፣ ለክሙ ፣ ወኢይቤ ፣ ዘወጽአ ፣ እምኔየ ፣ ወዳግመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ እስእሎ ፣ ለአብ ፣ ይፌኑ ፣ ለክሙ ፣ ጸራቅሊጦስሃ ፣ እምክመ ፣ ወጽአ ፣ እምኔሁ ፣ እምኢይቤ ፣ እስእሎ ፣ ለአብ ፣ ወይቤ ፣ ይነሥእ ፣ እምኔየ ፣ በአማን ፣ ይነሥአ ፣ ቃለ ፣ እምወልድ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ወይነግሮሙ ፣ ለሐዋርያት ፣ [Fol. 1vb] ወካዕበ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ መለኮት ፣ ይገብር ፣ ግብረ ፣ መለኮት ፣ ወትስብዕት ፣ ይገብር ፣ ግብረ ፣ ትስብዕት ። ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብሎሙ ፣ እምክመሰ ፣ ይገብር ፣ መለኮት ፣ ግብረ ፣ መለኮት ፣ ወትስብዕት ፣ ግብረ ፣ ትስብዕት ፣ ተርፈ ፣ ተዋኅዶ ፣ ወኑኑ ፣ ባዕዳነ ፣ ወንሕነ ፣ ንብል ፣ መለኮት ፣ ይገብር ፣ ግብረ ፣ ትስብዕት ፣ ወትስብዕ ፣ ይገብር ፣ ግብረ ፣ መለኮት ፣ እስመ ፣ ትስብዕት ፣ በመለኮት ፣ ይፌውስ ፣ ዶያነ ፣ ወያነሥእ ፣ ሙታኑ ፣ ወመለኮት ፣ በትስብዕት ፣ ተወክፈ ፣ ሐማመ ፣ ወሞት ፣ በከመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ መጽሐፍ ፣ ዘኢይመውት ፣ ሞተ ። ዳግመ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ በ፩አኮል ፣ ፪ባሕርያት ፣ ወን መይጥ ፣ ሎሙ ፣ ቃለ ፣ ወንብሎሙ ፣ እምክመ ፣ ትጐለቁ ፣ ባሕርያት ፣ ፫እሙንቱ ፣ ባሕ ርየ ፣ ሥጋ ፣ ወባሕርየ ፣ ነፍስ ፣ ወባሕርየ ፣ መለኮት ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ በክብር ፣ ፩ባሐርይ ፣ እስመ ፣ ክብሩ ፣ ለሥጋ ፣ ባሕርየ ፣ መልኮት ፣ በከመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ ቄርሎስ ፣ ሊቀ ፣ ጸጻኮት ፣ እንቲአ [Fol. 2ra] ሁ ፣ ለቃል ፣ ኮነ ፣ ለሥጋ ፣ ወእንቲአሁ ፣ ለሥጋ ፣ ኮነ ፣ ለቃ ል ፣ ወንጌልኒ ፣ ይቤ ፣ አነ ፣ ወአብ ፣ ፩ንሕነ ፣ ወበከመ ፣ አብ ፣ ሕያው ፣ አነኒ ፣ ሕያው ። ጸውሎስም ፣ ወዘተደመረ ፣ ምስለ ፣ እግዚአብሔር ፣ ፩መንፈስ ፣ ይከውን ፣ ምስሌሁ ፣ ይቤ ። ወካዕበ ፣ ይብሉ ፣ ኢነሥአ ፣ ነፍሰ ፣ ዘእንበለ ፣ ሥጋ ፣ ወንመይጥ ፣ ሎሙ ፣ ቃለ ፣ እምከመ ፣ ነሥአ ፣ ሥጋ ፣ ነሥአ ፣ ነፍሰ ፣ እስመ ፣ ነፍስ ፣ ትጴዋዕ ፣ በሥጋ ፣ ወሥጋ ፣ ይጹ ዋዕ ፣ በነፍስ ፣ እስመ ፣ በአሪት ፣ ወረዱ ፣ እስራኤል ፣ ምድረ ፣ ግብጽ ፣ እንዘ ፣ ፪ወፎነ ፍስ ፣ ዳዊትኒ ፣ ይቤ ፣ ኵኾሉ ፣ ነፍስ ፣ ይሴብሕ ፣ ለእግዚአብሔር ፣ ወኾሉ ፣ ዘሥጋ ፣ ይባርክ ፣ ለስሙ ፣ ቅድስ ፣ ወንጌልኒ ፣ ይቤ ፣ ለነፍሰ ፣ ዝ ፣ ሕፃን ፣ የሐሮሑ ፣ ይቅትልዎ ፣ በቅዳሴኒ ፣ ይቤ ፣ ይሠርፃ ፣ ወይተወለዳ ፣ ወያህመለምላ ፣ ነፍሳት ፣ ዘ ፣ ተወልዶ ፣ እም ሥጋ ፣ ሥጋ ፣ ውእቱ ፣ ወዘተወልደ ፣ እመንፈስ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ውእቱ ፣ በከመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ በወን ጌል ፣ ወካዕበ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ ሰብእ ፣ ኢነኑ ፣ እምላክ ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ አምላክ ፣ ኮነ ፣ ሰብ አ ፣ ወሰ [Fol. 2rb] ብእ ፣ ኮነ ፣ አምላክ ፣ በተዋሕዶ ፣ እስመ ፣ ሥጋ ፣ ሰብእ ፣ አምላክ ፣ ዘሞተ ፣ ወተቀብረ ፣ ተንሥአ ፣ በሣልስት ፣ ዕለት ፣ ወዓርገ ፣ ውስተ ፣ ሰማያት ፣ በስብ ሐት ፣ ወነበረ ፣ ከየማነ ፣ አቡሁ ፣ ወይመጽእ ፣ ዳግመ ፣ በስብሐት ፣ ይኰንን ፣ ሕያዋነ ፣ ወሙታኑ ፣ ወዳግመ ፣ ይብሉ ፣ ዘንበልዖ ፣ ሥጋሁ ፣ ምስለ ፣ ነፍሱ ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ ነፍ ስ ፣ ዘተሌለየት ፣ መለኮት ፣ ዘተዋሐዶ ፣ ሕያወ ፣ ባሕርይ ፣ ውእቱ ፣ እስመ ፣ ኢትብለለዕ ፣ ነፍስ ፣ ምስለ ፣ ሥጋ ፣ ኢትብልዑ ፣ ነፍስ ፣ በከመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ መጽሐፍ ። ወካዕበ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ አብ ፣ ቀቢዕ ፣ ወልድ ፣ ተቀቢዕ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ቅብዕ ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ ቀብዖ ፣ መለኮቱ ፣ ለትስብዕቱ ፣ ለሊሁ ፣ ቀባዒ ፣ ወለሊሁ ፣ ተቀባዒ ፣ ወለሊሁ ፣ ቅብዕ ፣ እስመ ፣
ሰለሥቲሆሙ ፣ ቅብዕ ። ወካዕበ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ ሕፁፅ ፣ በትስብዕቱ ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ ሥጋ ፣ ዕፋይ ፣ ምስለ ፣ አብ ፣ በመለኮቱ ፣ እስመ ፣ ኢየሐጸፅ ፣ ትስብእቱ ፣ ለክርስቶስ ፣ እመለ ኮቱ ፣ ወረሰያ ፣ ለትስብእቱ ፣ ከመ ፣ መለኮቱ ፣ በከመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ ትርጓሜ ፣ ኢዮብ ፣ እስመ ፣ እሩየ ፣ ነበረ ፣ ሥጋ ፣ በየማነ ፣ አብ ፣ ወካዕበ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ ኢየሱስ ፣ ክርስቶስ ፣ ኢየአምር ፣ በሥጋሁ ፣ ንህነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ የአምር ፣ እስመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ አልእዘር ፣ ሞተ ፣ ንሐር ፣ ናንቅሆ ፣ ለማርታኒ ፣ ይቤላ ፣ እኙኪስ ፣ ይትነሣእ ፣ ለናትናኤልኒ ፣ ይቤሎ ፣ እምቀድመ ፣ ይጻው ዕከ ፣ ፊልጿስ ፣ [Fol. 2va] ርኢኩከ ፣ ዕፅ ፣ ዕፅ ፣ ዕፅ ፣ በለስ ፣ ለእመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ በወንጌል ፣ አልቦ ፣ ዘየአምራ ፣ ለይእቱ ፣ ሰዓት ፣ ኢመላእክት ፣ ወኢወልድ ፣ ዘአንበለ ፣ አብ ፣ ባሕ ቲቱ ፣ ወልድ ፣ ኢየአምር ፣ ብሂል ፣ እስመ ፣ ፮ውእቱ ፣ ፈቃዶሙ ። ወካዕበ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ ተዓቢ ፣ ቤተ ፣ ክርስቲያን ፣ ዘሮም ፣ እምቤተ ፣ ክርስቲያን ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ አሐቲ ፣ ቤተ ፣ ክርስቲያን ፣ ጉባኤ ፣ እንተ ፣ ሐዋርያት ፣ አኮ ፣ በወርቅ ፣ ኃላፊ ፣ አላ ፣ በክብር ፣ እስመ ፣ ክብሮሙ ። ሥጋሁ ፣ ወደሙ ፣ ለክርስቶስ ። ወዳግመ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ ትክት ፣ ትባዕ ፣ ውስተ ፣ ቤተ ፣ ክርስቲያን ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ ኢትባዕ ፣ እስመ ፣ ደመ ፣ መርገም ፣ ውእ ቹ ፣ በከመ ፣ ይቤላ ፣ እግዚእነ ፣ ለሔዋን ፣ በከመ ፣ አድመውኪያ ፣ ለእንትኩ ፣ ዕፅ ፣ ከማ ሁ ፣ ደምዊ ፣ ወበእንተዝ ፣ እምቅድመ ፣ ፮መዋዕለ ፣ ንጽሕ ፣ ኢትባዕ ፣ ውስተ ፣ ቤተ ፣ ክር ስቲያን ። ወያጠምቅዎ ፣ ለሕፃን ፣ በክልኤ ፣ መዋዕል ፣ አው ፣ በ፫መዓልት ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ኢና ጠምቆ ፣ እምቅድመ ፣ ፳መዋዕል ፣ ወእመ ፣ ኮነት ፣ ወለት ፣ በ፲ዕለት ፣ ወለእመ ፣ ሐሙ ፣ በ፯ዕለት ፣ እስመ ፣ እግዚአብሔር ፣ አብኦ ፣ ለአዳም ፣ ውስተ ፣ ገነት ፣ በ፳ዕለት ፣ እምዘተ ፊጥረ ፣ ወለሔን ፣ አብአ ፣ ውስተ ፣ ገነት ፣ እምዘተፈጥረት ፣ በ፲ዕለት ፣ ወበእንተዝ ፣ ይደልወነ ፣ ዝንቱ ፣ ሥርዓት ፣ ለዓለም ። ወካዕበ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ ጻድቃን ፣ ወሰማ [Fol. 2vb] ዕት ፣ ኢያድኅኑ ፣ ነፍሰ ፣ ኃጥተ ፣ ንሕነሰ ፣ ንብል ፣ ያድኅኑ ፣ ነፍሰ ፣ እስመ ፣ ይቤ ፣ እግዚ እነ ፣ በወንጌል ፣ ለእመ ፣ ወሀቦ ፣ በስመ ፣ ረድእየ ፣ እስከ ፣ ግማሰ ፣ ኅብስት ፣ ወእስከ ፣ ጽዋ ዓ ፣ ማይ ፣ ቈሪር ፣ ኢየኃጉል ፣ ዕሂቶ ። ወለእመ ፣ ይቤሉ ፣ ዘመንበረ ፣ ጴጥሮስ ፣ ንሕነ ፣ ወንብሎሙ ፣ መንበሩሰ ፣ በአማን ፣ መንበሩ ፣ ባሕቱ ፣ ኢሰበከ ፣ ጴጥሮስ ፣ ዘይብል ፣ መን ፊስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ሠረፀ ፣ እምአብ ፣ ወእምወልድ ፣ ወክልኤተ ፣ ባሕርያተ ፣ መለኮት ፣ ይገብር ፣ ግብረ ፣ መለኮት ፣ ወትስብእት ፣ ግብረ ፣ ትስብእት ፣ ዝንቱሰ ፣ ስብኮቱ ፣ ለልዮን ፣ ዓላዊሃ ፣ ለሃይማ<ኖ>ት ፣ በመንግሥተ ፣ መርቅያን ፣ ንጉሠ ፣ ዓመፃ ፣ ወብእሲቱ ፣ ብርክልያ ፣ በራብዓይ ፣ ጉባኤ ፣ ኬልቄዶን ፣ ወበእንተዝ ፣ ንብሎሙ ፣ ረባዕያን ፣ ላዕለ ፣ ስሉሥ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ደቂቁ ፣ ለልዮን ፣ መምህረ ፣ ስሕተት ። ወጸሐፍኩ ፣ ዘንተ ፣ ቃለ ፣ ሃይማኖት ፣ በቅንዓት ፣ መንፈሳዊ ፣ አነ ፣ አባ ፣ ገብረ ፣ ሕይወት ፣ ኃጥእ ፣ ወጊጉይ ፣ በዘተከሰኒ ፣ እስመ ፣ አብዝኖ ፣ ነገር ፣ ያዘነግዕ ፣ ልበ ፣ ኢትርስዑኒ ፣ በ፮አቡነ ፣ ዘበሰማያት ።
Translation

[Fol. 1va, l. 1] We begin with the help of God writing the faith of ancient fathers, the twelve Apostles and the 318 Orthodox (fathers). And they say: "the Father generates, the Son (is) generated, the Holy Spirit (is) the Sprout".<fnref n="16" /> The Melkites<fnref n="17" /> say: "The Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and from the Son".<fnref n="18" /> And we return to them the word: if the Son let proceed the Holy Spirit, (then) He took the work of His Father, and obtained two works: letting proceed the Holy Spirit, and being generated from the Father. And (therefore) the Holy Spirit is inferior to the Son, because He was generated from the Son.<fnref n="19" /> The Gospel says: "I send to you the Paraclete which came from the Father".<fnref n="20" /> And He did not say, "which came from Me". And again He said: "I will ask the Father to send you the Paraclete".<fnref n="21" /> If it had been generated from Him, He would not say, "I will ask the Father". And He said: "He (the Father) will take (it) from Me".<fnref n="22" /> Verily, He (the Father) takes the word from the Son, (namely) the Holy Spirit, and tells to the Apostles. [Fol. 1vb] And again they say: "the divinity does the work of divinity and humanity does the work of humanity".<fnref n="23" /> And we say to them: if the divinity does the work of divinity and humanity (does) the work of humanity, the union has been abandoned and they became stranger (to each other). And we, we say: the divinity does the work of humanity and humanity does the work of divinity.<fnref n="24" /> Because humanity,

<footnote n="16">16 See in the Māṣḥetā lābuna: አብ ፣ ውእቱ ፣ ወላዴ ፣ ወልድ ፣ ወአሥራዌ ፣ መንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስ ፣ ኢተወልደ ፣ ወኢሠረፀ ፣ እምካልእ ፣ ወልድኒ ፣ ውእቱ ፣ ወልድ ፣ ተወላዲ ፣ እምአብ ፣ ወመንፈስ ፣ ቅዱስኒ ፣ ሠራዒ ፣ ውእቱ ፣ “The Father generates the Son and lets proceed the Holy Spirit, He is not born and does not proceed from anyone else. The Son is (indeed) the Son, born from the Father. And the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father”. Cf. CERULLI 1960: 145 (text), 170 (tr.). See also in the Māṣḥafā məštir: YAQOB BEYENE 1993: 243 (text).</footnote>

<footnote n="17">17 Old name given by Ethiopian to the followers of Chalcedon council. Cf. LOBO 1728: 304.</footnote>

<footnote n="18">18 Catholic doctrine “Filioque”. King Gālawdewos (1540–1559) has already contested it in his letter to Catholics. Cf. ULLENDORFF 1987: 166 (text), 170 (tr.). The proceeding of the Holy Spirit from the Father is also explained in the Mäzgäbä haymanot and in the Mäṣḥetä lobbunna. Cf. CERULLI 1960: 7–8 (text), 73–74 (tr.), 140 (text), 165 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="19">19 This statement that the Holy Spirit is inferior to the Son seems to be an idea ascribed to the Catholics still recently by Ethiopians, even if it is not true. Cf. TESFAGZHI UQBIT 1973: 50. The Ethiopian Orthodox position (the Holy Spirit is not inferior to the Father and the Son) is explained in the Māṣḥafā bärhan, book VI, in quoting Gregorios of Nazi-anze (against Macedonius). Cf. CONTI ROSSINI – RICCI 1965: 137 (text), 77 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="20">20 John 20: 21–23.</footnote>

<footnote n="21">21 John 14: 16–17.</footnote>

<footnote n="22">22 John 14: 26–27.</footnote>

<footnote n="23">23 Doctrine ascribed to the Diophysites professed during the council of Chalcedon as described in the Mäzgäbä haymanot. Cf. CERULLI 1960: 15 (text), 81 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="24">24 As the actual opinion of the Ethiopian theologian TESFAGZHI UQBIT 1973: 52.</footnote>
through divinity, cures the sick and resuscitates the dead, and the divinity,
through the humanity, accepted the pain and the death. As the Book says:
“The One who is immortal, died”.<fnref n="25" /> Again they say: “in one person, two na-
tures”.<fnref n="26" /> And we return to them the word and we say to them: if you count the
natures (of Christ), they are three: the human nature, the nature of the soul and
the nature of divinity.<fnref n="27" /> And we, we say: “being honoured, one nature”, be-
cause the divine nature honoured the flesh.<fnref n="28" /> As Cyril the archbishop said this
[Fol. 2ra]: “the one of the Word became the Flesh” and this “the one of the
Flesh became the Word”.<fnref n="29" /> The Gospel said: “I (the Son) and the Father, we
are one”<fnref n="30" /> and “as the Father is living, Me too, I am living”. And Paul [said]
“But the one who united himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit”.<fnref n="31" />
And again they say: “He (the Son) did not accept the soul without the flesh”.
And we respond to their words: If He accepted the flesh, He accepted the soul,
since the soul is named flesh and the flesh is named soul, since in the Old Tes-
tament (the people of) Israel descended (to) the land of Egypt being 75 souls.<fnref n="32" />
David said also: “Let each soul glorify God and let each flesh bless His holy
name”.<fnref n="33" /> And the Gospel said: “For the soul of this child they search, to kill
Him”.<fnref n="34" /> And the liturgy said: the souls of the generated one blossomed, born
and grew from the flesh, the flesh is Him, and the one which was born from
the Spirit, the Spirit is Him, as it is said in the Gospel.<fnref n="35" /> Again they say: “A
man did not become a God”. And we, we say: God became a man and man
[Fol. 2rb] became God by the union; because the incarnated man – God who
died<fnref n="36" /> and was buried – rose on the third day and ascended to heaven in glory
and sat on the right of His Father and He will come again in glory to judge the

<footnote n="25">²⁵ Anaphora of Saint John Chrysostom, verse 58. Cf. *መጽሐፈ፥ ቅዳሴ፥* 1951: 209.</footnote>

<footnote n="26">²⁶ Doctrine ascribed to the Diophysites professed during the council of Chalcedon as described in the *Mäzgäbä haymanot*. Cf. CERULLI 1960, 11 (text), 77 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="27">²⁷ See the *Mäṣḥafä bərhan*, book VI. Cf. CONTI ROSSINI – RICCI 1965: 139 (text), 78 (tr.); see also *Mäzgäbä haymanot* and *Mäṣḥetä ləbbunna*. Cf. CERULLI 1960: 7 (text), 72–73 (tr.), 140 (text), 164–165 (tr.), 143 (text), 168 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="28">²⁸ See *Mäzgäbä haymanot*; cf. CERULLI 1960: 18 (text), 85 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="29">²⁹ Ref. to the interpretation of John 1: 14 by St. Cyril exposed in the *Haymanotä abäw* (“The Faith of the Fathers”), chapter 72, section 5, and in the *Dialogue on the Unity of Christ* present in the Gα΄az patristic collection called *Qerəllos*; cf. ፃይማኖተ፥ አበው፥ 1967: 265; WEISCHER 1977: 45–57.</footnote>

<footnote n="30">³⁰ John 10: 30.</footnote>

<footnote n="31">³¹ 1 Corinthians 6: 17.</footnote>

<footnote n="32">³² Acts 7: 14.</footnote>

<footnote n="33">³³ Psalms 145: 21.</footnote>

<footnote n="34">³⁴ Ref. to Matthew 2: 13.</footnote>

<footnote n="35">³⁵ Ref. to John 3: 6.</footnote>

<footnote n="36">³⁶ Ref. to the words of Peter in 1 Peter 3: 18.</footnote>
living and the dead.<fnref n="37" /> Again they say: “What we eat (is) His flesh with His soul”. And we, we say: the soul which was separated, the divinity which was united, is the living nature, because the soul is not eaten with the flesh. You do not eat the soul, as the Book says. Again they say: “the Father is the anointer, the Son is the anointed, the Holy Spirit is the ointment”.<fnref n="38" /> And we, we say: His divinity anointed his humanity (being) Himself the anointer, the anointed one and the ointment, since the three of them are ointment.<fnref n="39" /> Again they say: “He is insufficient in His humanity”.<fnref n="40" /> And we, we say: the Flesh is equal with the Father in his divinity, since the humanity of Christ is not less than His divinity and He made His humanity like His divinity, as the commentary on (the Book of) Job said: “The flesh stood equally on the right side of the Father”. Again they say: “Jesus Christ does not know in His flesh”. We, we say: He knows (by His flesh) because He said: “Lazarus died, let us go, let us wake him up” and He says to Martha also: “Your brother will resuscitate”.<fnref n="41" /> And to Nathanael He says: “Before Philippe [Fol. 2va] called you, I saw you (while you were under) the fig tree”.<fnref n="42" /> If He said in the Gospel “there is no one who knows this hour, either Angels or the Son, only the Father”,<fnref n="43" /> it means that the Son does not know since their will is one. And again they say: “the Church of Rome is the greater among the Church(es)”.<fnref n="44" />. And we say: one is the Church, the assembly of the Apostles<fnref n="45" /> not thanks to a temporary gold, but to glory, since their glory is the flesh and the blood of Christ. And again they say: “a woman who menstruates may enter the church”. We, we say she may not enter because (it is) the blood of a curse as our Lord said to Eve: In the same way that you made that tree bleed, you bleed. And because of this before seven days of

<footnote n="37">³⁷ Anaphora of Saint John Chrysostom, verse 67. Cf. *σοφία ἀρχή· ἀρχή·* 1951: 210. See also ULLENDORFF 1987: 166 (text), 170 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="38">³⁸ Thesis developed by the *Qab'at* movement and the *Sägga lōğğ* movement. Cf. GETATCHEW HAILE 1990: 34 (text), 31 (tr.); GUIDI 1900: 11–12; TEDROS ABRAHA 2010: 454.</footnote>

<footnote n="39">³⁹ Thesis professed by *Täwahdo/wäld qab* followers and by the Patriarch of Alexandria. Cf. GUIDI 1893: 603–604; GUIDI 1900: 20–22; cf. also AYELE TEKLEHAYMANOT 1994: 377–381.</footnote>

<footnote n="40">⁴⁰ Without the unction, the human nature could not be at the same place as the divine nature, meaning that in His humanity, Christ is less than the Father. This is a reference to the doctrine of Catholics argued by Paez in 1604. Cf. TESFAGZHI UQBIT 1973: 60. This doctrine is ascribed to the Diophysites professed during the council of Chalcedon as described in the *Mäzgäbä haymanot*. Cf. CERULLI 1960: 15 (text), 81 (tr.). But this is also a reference to the doctrine of *qeb'at* movement. Cf. GETATCHEW HAILE 1990: 29 (text), 26 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="41">⁴¹ John 11: 11–23.</footnote>

<footnote n="42">⁴² John 1: 48.</footnote>

<footnote n="43">⁴³ Matthew 24: 36.</footnote>

<footnote n="44">⁴⁴ As described in the *Mäzgäbä haymanot*. Cf. CERULLI 1960: 24 (text), 91 (tr.).</footnote>

<footnote n="45">⁴⁵ In the *Mäzgäbä haymanot*: “We believe in one holy Church, above all assemblies, the Apostolic one”. Cf. CERULLI 1960: 25 (text), 92 (tr.).</footnote>
purification, she may not enter a church.<fnref n="46" /> And they baptize the child on the
second day or the third day; and we do not baptize him before the fortieth day
and if it is a daughter, at the eightieth day, and if they become sick on the sev-
thenth day, since Lord introduced Adam in the Paradise on the fortieth day after
he was created and Eve, in the Paradise, on the eightieth day after she was cre-
ated, and therefore this order is appropriate for us forever. And again they say:
“the saints and the martyr [Fol. 2vb] do not save the sinful soul”. We, we say:
they (do) save the soul because our Lord said in the Gospel “if he gave in the
name of my disciple only half of the bread or a chalice of cold water his reward
will not perish”.<fnref n="47" /> And if they say, “We belong to the seat of Peter”, we say to
them his seat is verily his seat, but Peter did not preach saying that the Holy
Spirit proceeded from the Father and from the Son, and about the two natures
(that) the divinity does the work of the divinity and the humanity does the
work of the humanity. This (is) the preaching of Leon,<fnref n="48" /> transgressor of the
faith, during the reign of Marcian,<fnref n="49" /> King of lawlessness, and his wife Pulche-
ria,<fnref n="50" /> in the fourth council, Chalcedon. And so we say about them: they make
four the Holy Trinity, (namely) the children of Leon, teacher of error. And I
wrote this discourse on the faith because of spiritual zeal, I, ʾabba Gäbrä
daywät, sinner and guilty in what I was accused of. Indeed, increasing of
words makes the heart forgetful. Do not forget (to recite) for me (each one
you) one Pater Noster.

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<footnote n="47">⁴⁷ Ref. to Matthew 10: 42.</footnote>

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## Summary

The article deals with a peculiar document that was found during a field research conducted by the team of the Ethio-SPARE project during the spring 2010 in church libraries of Gulo Mäḳäda wäräda, north-east Təgray (historical ʿAgame). This document is a Gəʿaz text written during the 19th century and dedicated to the refutation of the Catholic doctrine. Because of its apparent historical significance, the text and its translation are presented here. Taking into consideration the literary form (discourse) of the work and the place where it was found (the area of the active Catholic preaching) we can assume that the text is a summary of the anti-Catholic argumentation, possibly used by the Orthodox priests, and a witness of the local attitude to the Catholic missionary activities. The treatise does not provide any hints to the political issues of the Catholic settlement in Ethiopia. However, it does highlight some elements of the discourse against Catholic faith in the context of the emergence of a strong religious *Täwaḥədo* identity.