Organisation

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is one of the ancient Christian churches in the world. Ethiopia is the 2nd country in the world only after Armenia to have officially proclaimed Christianity as state religion around the third decade of the 4th century. Numerically, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the largest from the six Oriental Orthodox Churches and the dominant faith in the country.

The church has approximately 45 million followers (also a significant number, estimated to two million members are found overseas), about four hundred thousand clergymen, more than thirty five thousand churches and close to one thousand monasteries.

The church is one of the founding members of the World Council of Churches (established in 1948) and the All African Conference of Churches (set up in 1963). The Ethiopian Church is a unique church in Africa that has developed its own liturgy, educational system, monastic tradition, religious music, biblical commentary, church art and architecture and the like which have been maintained for a very long period of time. A considerable number of the deeply rooted historical narratives, social life and ethics in the country are shaped by the Church.

Mahibere Kidusan is a religious based association under the Sunday Schools Department of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The association has been providing its multi-dimensional spiritual services since its official establishment and recognition by the Holy Synod in October 1993. Mahibere Kidusan has entrusted and paid a major attention to students of higher institutions and has been helped them to get spiritual education in their respective parishes.

The spiritual service delivered by Mahibere Kidusan has now greatly been expanded both in and outside the country by its members serving in its 52 centers, of which 48 are found in Ethiopia and the rest four abroad. Mahibere Kidusan Europe Center has more than 250 members living in Europe.  

One of the mandates given to Mahibere Kidusan by the Holy Synod is to carry out research and facilitate the necessary conditions for researchers of various types to conduct their research on church-related matters. To pursue this objective, Mahibere Kidusan has established a Research Centre in 2005.

Mahibere Kidusan Research Centre has its own an Advisory Board and Editorial Committee; and the monthly public lectures, the annual national conferences and the peer-reviewed annual journal are among its main activities. In addition, the Center has launched the preparation of an Encyclopaedia of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in July 2016.

The duty of the Research Centre in Europe is managed by the Department of Professional Services and Capacity Building of the Mahibere Kidusan Europe Center.