Thousands Attend Ethiopian Church Leader's Funeral

(Aug 23, 2012, ADDIS ABABA)--Thousands of Ethiopians gathered Thursday for the funeral of Abuna Paulos, head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.  Abuna died last Thursday at the age of 76, four days before the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Priests conduct ceremony next to casket bearing remains of Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Paulos, Aug. 23, 2012

Abuna Paulos’ funeral was held at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.  Among the mourners was Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who is set to take over as Ethiopia's new leader. Most people had to listen to the service on the radio outside the church compound, as the crowd was too large to accommodate everybody. Many people were crying outside, mourning the death of their religious leader.

Bezawit is a clinical nurse in Addis Ababa and and says she respected the religious leader for his work in the community. “He is a father of the poor and educates them.  He wants us to know what we really believe in.  And he also helped to control the spread of HIV amongst the youth.  We’re very sorry that he died as he was a good father,” she said.  Read more from  VOA »

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