Dedicating Debre Libanos Church ,November 18, 1962
``When two years ago We laid in this monastery of Saint Tekle Haimanot the
cornerstone for this church, We had expressed the hope that it will be God's
will to enable us to witness its execution. Thus the Almighty who can accomplish
everything and grant all that is asked of Him has enabled us to see the
completion of the work. How can We pay Our gratitude to God but by thanking Him?
It is authentic that the Ethiopian Saint Tekle Haimanot was Christ's disciple
whom, by observing St. Paul's remark, "who shall separate Us from the love of
Christ? afflication or anguish or persecution or hunger or nakedness ..... ?",
fulfilled his divine duties, made and rendered several sacrifices and services.
Many are the monasteries that owe their existence to him, and innumerable are
those who were taught by his disciples. Because of the services rendered by him
and holy people like him at a time when Ethiopia was gravely threatened with
heathenish and Islamic engulfing, this country came to be known as an Island of
Christianity.
Taking advantage of this occasion, We would like to advise Ethiopian bishops and
church educators to follow Saint Tekle Haimanot's example, dedicate themselves
to this great ideal and save no effort in working and making others work for the
propagation of the Christian faith. A brother cannot be of more valuable service
to his brother than in this.
We, too, had prayed to God to enable us to build this church along modern lines.
We truly thank the Almighty for hearing Our prayer and fulfilling Our dream.
We sincerely thank the board to which, under Our spiritual father His Holiness
Abuna Basilios and Our beloved son Crown Prince Merid Azmatch Asfaw Wossen as
President, We had entrusted the task of supervising and executing the work, and
which has accordingly carried out its task successfully, We further leave the
responsibility of assuring the future upkeep and maintenance of the Church to
the President and members of the Board.
We pray that the Almighty bestow His blessing and divine grace on all those who
are assembled in this monastery in the name of the Saint. ``