Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church (Tigrinya: ቤተ ክርስትያን ተዋህዶ ኤርትራ, romanized: beta krstyan tawahdo ertra[2]) is one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches with its headquarters in Asmara, Eritrea. It was given autocephaly by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church, after Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993. Thus, the Eritrean Church accords a primacy of honor to the Coptic Church.[3][4][5]
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
EOTC
Vacant
The Apostle and Evangelist Mark in 42 AD Alexandria, Saint Frumentius in 328 AD Axum (according to the Eritrean Orthodox tradition),
Abune Phillipos in 1993 AD Asmara (modern)
From the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in 1991
3,030,000[1]
Sources differ on the percentage of Christians in the Eritrean population, with most figures being close to one-half,[6][7] although some sources report slightly more than 60%.[8] Almost 90% of Eritrean Christians are followers of Oriental Orthodoxy.[7] The rest of the population is almost entirely Muslim.[6][8]