Eritreans subscribing to the Orthodox Church and living in Uganda have opened a sh4b grand church where they can meet and worship.

At the event, the Eritreans commended Uganda for the available freedom of worship and spirit of pan Africanism.

The Eritrean Ambassador to Uganda H.E Mohammed Suleiman said President Yowi Museveni and the people of Uganda have been welcoming Eritreans in Uganda since 2006 and been treated so well by Ugandans, making them feel at home.

H.E Mohammed Suleiman the Eritrean Ambassador to Uganda (Centre in suit) posing for a group picture with Orthodox church leaders of Eritrea and Uganda and other believers. This was during the grand opening of St. Gabriele Orthodox Church at Nsambya a Kampala city suburb on May 8, 2022. 

“The hospitality in Uganda is a very unique Pan Africanism spirit that we people of Eritrea don’t take for granted,” Suleiman said.

Ambassador Suleiman made the remarks while gracing the grand opening of St. Gabriele Orthodox Church at Nsambya a Kampala city suburb on Sunday afternoon.

Archbishop Basilios (second from Left) the overall administrator of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo church handing Samson Abraham a certificate of recognition for his service towards the Church as Bishop Gorgorios (extreme L) of Zoba Anseba diocese and Bishop Tadios Bishop of Zoba Gash look on.

The Eritrean embassy in Kampala estimates the number of their citizens in Uganda to be about 20,000 living in different districts of the country.

The Ambassador said his people just like others have been given the freedom to carry on all their cultures from back home like worshiping to the pearl of Africa.

Christians serving lunch during the grand opening of St. Gabriele Orthodox Church at Nsambya a Kampala city suburb on May 8, 2022. 

He explained that Eritreans have a culture of putting up a cathedral for worshiping wherever they go and thanked the government for facilitating good conditions like peace and freedom to enable his people’s dream to come true.

Tesfalem Gherahtu one of the founders of the Eritreans Orthodox church in Uganda said the church was founded in 2006 by 15 elders with about 102 members.

Some of the believers taking a selfie for memories. 

Gherahtu narrated that they approached the Late Metropolitan Yonah Lwanga for praying space who allocated them a classroom at the Orthodox Primary School at Namungoona where they prayed from for close to two years.

He further narrated that the same church gave them land for 16 years at Namungoona to worship from as they look for land to construct their church.

Members of the children’s Sunday school leading in praise and worship.

He said recently, they bought land at Nsambya, a city suburb where they constructed a sh4b church with a seating capacity of 2,000 people.

“The church is not only for Eritreans but even Ugandans who subscribe to the Orthodox faith. We are going to put up a kindergarten school for children in the community to get free education,” he said

(L-R) Archbishop Basilios the overall administrator of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo church picking a coupon during a church draw as Bishop Tadios Bishop of Zoba Gash and Rt. Rev. Samuel Tsegai the vice secretary of the synod in Eritrea look on. 

Father Constantine Mbonabingi, the Dean Orthodox Church and secretary general Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) said Eritreans have been good to the Orthodox Church in Uganda as they stood with it when it lost Metropolitan Yona Lwanga and later when it was enthroning the new metropolitan Leronymos Muzeeyi," he explained.

Samson Abraham kissing Archbishop Basilios cross the overall administrator of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo church as Bishop Tadios Bishop of Zoba Gash looks on. 

He assured them that Uganda is the pearl of Africa and that it is the only country where foreigners can move freely without being asked for their identification papers like it is elsewhere.

"You can always feel at home in Uganda and you're free to inter marry in Uganda," he told the community.

Doreen Keitha the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) for Makindye division addressing the congregation as SP Julius Ahimbisibwe looks on. 

The event was graced by Archbishop Basilios the overall administrator of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo church, Bishop Gorgorios of Zoba Anseba and south red sea diocese, Bishop Tadios Bishop of Zoba Gash and Rt. Rev. Samuel Tsegai the vice secretary of the synod in Eritrea.

Some of the faithful posing for a photo outside the new church.