About usስለ እኛ

Our faith, our worship, and our place in the community.

Seattle Debre Mihret St. Michael Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

የሲያትል ደብረ ምሕረት ቅዱስ ሚካኤል የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋሕዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን

Our parish is part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, an ancient apostolic church whose worship, fasts and feasts have been kept in Ethiopia for many centuries. Here in Seattle that same tradition continues: the Divine Liturgy in Ge'ez, the prayers of the hours, the sacraments, and the ordinary work of caring for one another.

The Ge'ez rendering of the church's name above follows standard Amharic spelling of the English name. Please have the church confirm the exact wording it uses.

Our traditionትውፊታችን

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is one of the Oriental Orthodox churches. Its liturgical language is Ge'ez, and its calendar, fasting seasons and hymnody are distinct to Ethiopia. Worship is chanted, incense is offered, and the faithful stand in prayer as generations have before them.

For families who have come to Seattle from Ethiopia, Eritrea and elsewhere, the church is where that inheritance is kept and passed on to children born here. Visitors from other Christian traditions, and those simply curious, are welcome to attend.

Our place in the communityበማኅበረሰቡ ውስጥ

In its own words, published through Puget Sound Sage, the church “serves people from East Africa and others throughout South Seattle and King County through faith, counseling, and teaching,” and it serves “people from East Africa and whoever wants to join the faith.”

The parish is a registered nonprofit religious organisation in Washington State.

Our historyታሪካችን

History to be supplied by the church

No founding date, founding history or list of clergy has been published by the church in a source this website could verify, so none is given here. Nothing has been invented to fill the gap.

When the church supplies its history, replace this block in about.html. Suggested details: the year the parish was founded, how it began, when it moved to its present building, and the names of the clergy who serve it today.

A word of welcomeየእንኳን ደህና መጣችሁ ቃል

If you are visiting for the first time, come as you are. Arrive when you can, stand or sit where there is room, and ask anyone near you if you are unsure what is happening. Women and men traditionally stand on separate sides of the nave, and many worshippers cover their heads. You are under no obligation to do either in order to be welcome here.

This welcome is written for the website and describes customs common to Ethiopian Orthodox parishes. It is not an official statement of the church. Please have the clergy review or replace it.