The Catholic Eparchy of Keren - History

ERITREA

Eritrea is located on the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by the Red Sea on the east, Djibouti on the south-east, Ethiopia in the south, and the Sudan on the west.

Eritrea has an of area of 125,750 Km2, over 350 islands and a coastline of over 1,258 Km. Eritrea is a country of ancient religious and cultural traditions. It was part of the cradle of the ancient civilizations and with Christianity as the official religion of this part of Africa as early as the fourth century. A few centuries later Islam was introduced.

Eritrea, due its location on the Red Sea coast has seen many invaders and occupiers throughout its history including the Arabs, Turks, Italians, British and Ethiopians.

Eritrea won its independence from Ethiopia, after a 30 year brutal war, in 1991. Eritrea's population today is about 4 million. Eritrea has nine ethnic groups and about as many languages.

VINCENTIAN MISSIONARIES (1851-1894)

Christianity was introduced to Eritrea in the fourth century. As this part of Africa was under the Patriarchate of Alexandria, it was separated from the Catholic Church with the separation of Alexandria. After a long separation, in the second half of the 18th century, the present Catholic Church in Eritrea was re-connected with the universal Catholic Church with the courageous and tireless work of the Vincentian missionaries.

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St. Justin de Jacobis

The primary Vincentian Evangelists to what was then known as Abyssinia (Today’s Eritrea and Ethiopia) is St. Justin de Jacobis. The great apostle Justin was born in San Fele near Naples, Italy on October 9, 1800. He joined the Congregation of St. Vincent in 1818 in Naples and was ordained a priest on June 12, 1824 at the Cathedral in Brindisi, Italy.

At the invitation of Cardinal Philippe Franzoni, on May 24, 1839, at the age of 38 Fr. Justin received the mandate to establish a Mission in Abyssinia.

The Saintly Fr. Justin learned the local language, culture and traditions. He worked tirelessly evangelizing and serving the people of Abyssinia for 20 years and laid the foundation for the local Catholic Church. After much suffering and persecutions he died of a tropical fever on the side of a road near Halai in the Valley of Alighedien July 31, 1860.

He was beatified June 25, 1939 by Pius XII and was canonized October 26, 1975 by Paul VI.

The first missionaries who came during this time found communities of Christians without pastors, but with firm faith and Christian traditions. St. Justin de Jacobis, the first Apostolic Vicar of Abyssinia, appointed Mons. Bianchieri (1860-1864) his coadjutor and Apostolic Vicar to the Keren area.

It was Mons. Bianchieri who proposed to St. Justin de Jacobis that Keren should be the center to a new ecclesiastical circumscription. St. Justin de Jacobis without hesitation accepted and approved of the idea as "God inspired". The successor of Mons. Bianchieri, Mons. L. Bell (l866-l868) strengthened his predecessor's works by adding new parishes in various villages and forming native priests to carry out and help in the pastoral care of Catholics. From 1869-1888 Mons. M. Touvier took over the charge of the young Catholic community with more apostolic zeal.

At this time Keren became the See of the prefecture Apostolic of Abyssinia. This gave a great boost to the expansion of the Catholic Church with ever more increasing membership and corresponding social and pastoral activities. Mons. Touvier achievement's include: transfer of the seminary to Keren, introduction of a printing press in the Geez character, promoting formation of local priests, increasing number of parishes, bringing of the Daughters of Charity in 1878 and instituting native religious sisters (Enatietat). The last of the lazarist missionaries was Mons. J. Crouzet (1888-1894). His time, unfortunately was marked by severe drought, famine and locust, and progress in missionary activities was considerably reduced.

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CAPUCHIN MISSIONARY (1894-1930)

As a result of the political reality of this period, the Vincentian Missionaries left Eritrea. Their legacy passed to the Franciscans, who readily took over the mission with enthusiasm. In place of the former Prefecture Apostolic of Abyssinia, a new Apostolic Prefecture of Eritrea, with Fr. Michele da Carbonara its spiritual leader was introduced officially and was elevated to a Vicariate. Mons. C. Carrara (1911-1925) became the first Apostolic Vicar of Eritrea. He embarked on evangelization, combating illiteracy and disease of Bogos, Mensa and Cunama areas of Eritrea. He also raised the standard of education in the seminary, and sent the first seminarians to Rome (to the Vatican) for higher studies.

Fr. Angelico da Nono

It is noteworthy to mention that Fr. Angelico da Nono, one of the pioneer missionaries, rector of seminary and superior of the flourishing mission, proved to be an outstanding figure to earn the title, "The Apostle of Bogos". Thus, the Catholic Church was firmly and fairly established again.

After 42 years the Apostolic Vicariate moved from Keren to Asmara in 1911. As a result the expansion of the Catholic Church in this region started somewhat to slow down, but an important turning point for the local church had been reached. The fundamental missionary
work so far carried out successfully, provided the Holy See with sufficient reason to get on with the constitution of the local hierarchy.

 

Abune Kidanemariam Kasa

To this effect, in 1924, Cardinal Lèpiciér was commissioned as Apostolic Visitor, by Pope Pius XI. Within two months of careful examination, he reported, of the need for improved formation of clergy and creation of local hierarchy. Thus, Abune Kidanemariam Kasa was elected and appointed first Pro-Vicar and later Ordinary for the Catholics of Geez rite.

In 1928, Mons. Celestinio Cattaneo had assigned Abba Zeregaber, parish priest of Keren, as Protopresbyter for the district of Bogos to act under the leadership of Abune Kidanemariam. In 1951 there was an upgrading of the Ordinariate to Exarchate with Abune Yacob Ghebreyesus its new leader. At this time a serious division arose and to solve this problem in 1956, Mons. Ludivico Mathias, as Apostolic Visitor, was entrusted with the delicate task of mediation and solving the controversy of that time.

Abba Tesfaghiorghis Tigiar

As a provisional solution, his mission came to the conclusion of designating two Vicar Delegates, Abune Abraha, for the Exarchate of Asmara and Abba Tesfaghiorghis Tigiar for Keren.

During his short stay in office (1956-1962) the Vicar Delegate of Keren made significant efforts to restore the moral of the Catholics and enhance pastoral activities.

In the mean time, between the transitional years l958-1962, Abune Asratemariam lead the Exarchate which, to a certain extent, enjoyed a relatively calm period.

 

 

 

Abune Abraha Francois

Finally, the long and painful process of fully establishing the local church culminated in the formal constitution of the Eparchy of Asmara, Abune Abraha being the first Eparch. In 1962, in place of the Vicar Delegate, the Eparch appointed an Eparchial Vicar for Keren, who carried out his responsibilities with the assistance of five more councilors, thus forming of the Western Eparchial Vicariate.

Abune Zacharias Yohanes was designated auxiliary Bishop of the Eparchy of Asmara on March 11, 1981, then became Apostolic Administrator on December 9, 1982 and finally became the Eparch of Asmara July 17, 1984.

 

Today, happily we are witnessing the realization of a long cherished idea and aspiration of our forerunners, by the historic establishment of the Eparchy of Keren by the Apostolic constitution "Ad perpetuam rei memoriam" of December 30th, 1995, with its first Eparch H. B. Abune Tesfamairam Bedho succeeded by Abune Kidane Yebio as the second Eparch.

The Eparchy of Keren covers the former Senhit and Sahil regions of Eritrea. The total population of the area covered by the Eparchy of Keren is estimated at 450,550 of which 45,000 are Catholic.

 

The majority of the people in the area covered by the Eparchy of Keren are Muslim. The ethnic groups in the Eparchy of Keren are: Blin, Tigre, Tigrigna and Rashaida. The most common languages are: Blin, Tigre, Tigrigna and Arabic. The Eparchy runs: 33 parishes, 40 chapels, 110 catechists, 4 kindergarten, 20 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 1 high school, 1 agricultural college, 2 orphanages, 7 women's promotion centers, 2 health centers and 5 health stations.