Angelology (ነገረ መላእክት): Exploring the Angelic Tribes (ነገደ መላእክት) in EOTC Tradition – Part II

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) presents a thoughtful understanding of angels and their roles in divine service. Building on Part I, this essay explores deeper into the angelic hierarchy, exploring the 100 angelic tribes created by God and their heavenly presence in Iyor (ኢዮር), Ramah (ራማ), and Erer (ኤረር). Drawing from Saint Epiphanius's detailed work, Aximaros Zehud (አክሲማሮስ ዘእሁድ), this essay reveals the chiefs of these tribes and their distinct functions in the heavenly order.

In Part I, we discussed that only God knows the total number of angels, for they are countless (Dan. 7:10). According to Aximaros, a detailed work on God's creations by Saint Epiphanius, angels were created on Sunday and divided into 100 tribes, further grouped into ten tribes each, residing in three heavenly cities: Iyor (ኢዮር), Ramah (ራማ), and Erer (ኤረር). On the first day of creation, God formed the seven heavens and angels. These heavens, from the highest to the lowest, are Tsira Ariyam (ጽርሐ አርያም), Menbere Mengist (መንበረ መንግሥት), Semay Wudud (ሰማይ ውዱድ), Eyerusalem Semayawit (ኢየሩሳሌም ሰማያዊት or መንግሥተ ሰማያት ), Iyor (ኢዮር), Ramah (ራማ), and Erer (ኤረር). Details about these heavens will be explored in a future essay, God willing.

Saint Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310–403 AD), Bishop of Salamis in Cyprus, was a prominent theologian and writer whose life and works profoundly shaped early Christian orthodoxy (OCA, 2024). In his work, Saint Epiphanius identifies 100 angelic tribes, each divided into ten sub-tribes, outlined in detail in Aximaros Zehud (አክሲማሮስ ዘእሁድ), starting from page 25.

Aximaros refers to the six days of creation, a work by Saint Epiphanius that expands on these six days, counting them as twenty-two (Kidane Wold Kifle, p. 219). The name Epiphanius means "revealer of mysteries," as he received divine revelations about the twenty-two creations of God, which he recorded for others (Kidane Wold Kifle, p. 250, Epiphanius's Liturgy interpretation). God willing, we will explore these twenty-two creations in future essays.

Saint Epiphanius lists the angelic tribes and their chiefs as follows:

The first tribe is Agaizt (አጋዕዝት) (Rulers/ Principalities), led by the former Satnael (Samalial) ሳጥናኤል (ሰማልያል), now known as the Devil (ዲያብሎስ). This tribe's fall is discussed in Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-17, and Revelation 12:7-9, where Satnael's pride and rebellion against God led to his expulsion from Heaven.

The second tribe is called Cherubim (ኪሩቤል), with their chief being Cherub (ኪሩብ). These angelic beings are depicted with four heads and four faces, resembling a human face, a lion's face, and others. Their entire bodies are covered with eyes, and their eyes shine like the skin of a leopard (ነብር) (Ezekiel 1:6-10, 18-19).

The third tribe is Seraphim (ሱራፌል), led by their chief Seraphi (ሱራፊ). These angels are known as angels of praise, serving, and praying in the form of deacons. Their faces resemble that of an eagle (ንስር), and each angel has six wings, as described in Isaiah 6:2-4. The Seraphim are revered for their role in adoring and worshiping God continuously.

The fourth tribe is called Hailat (ኃይላት) (Powers), with their chief being Saint Michael (Enoch 10:2-12, Col 1:15-16). These angels are depicted as standing before the Holy Trinity, holding a sword. They are known for their role in defending and protecting the divine presence.

The fifth tribe is Arbab (አርባብ) (Hosts), with Saint Gabriel as their chief. These angels stand before the Holy Trinity in the form of a host (አስተናጋጅ) (Enoch 10:14, Luke 1:19). They are known for their role in delivering divine messages and serving in the heavenly assembly.

The sixth tribe is Manabert (መናብርት) (Thrones), led by Saint Raphael (ቅዱስ ሩፋኤል). These angels serve as shield-bearers (ጋሻ ጃግሬ/ጋሻ ያዥ), holding a shield of lightning (የመብረቅ ጋሻ) and a spear of fire (የእሳት ጦር). They continuously fly like a wind (Enoch 6:22, Col 1:15-16 ).

The seventh tribe is Siltanat (ሥልጣናት) (Authorities /Virtues), led by Saint Surial (ቅዱስ ሱርያል). They are the proclaimers (አዋጅ ነጋሪዎች) of the Trinity, continuously alerting other angels for prayer and thanksgiving (Enoch 31:14, Col 1:15-16).

The eighth tribe is Mekuanint (መኳንንት) (Dominions), led by Sedakael (ሰዳካኤል). They are the archers (ቀስተኞች) of the Trinity, capable of breaking mountains, splitting rocks, and holding arrows of fire (የእሳት ቀስት). They protect people from physical and spiritual suffering and will gather and prepare the bones of the dead for resurrection (Matthew 24:31-42,Col 1:15-16 ).

The ninth tribe is Liqanat (ሊቃናት) (Archangels), with Salatiel (ሰላታኤል) as their chief. They serve as the commanding officers of the horsemen of the Trinity and are also known as the guardian angels of animals.

The tenth tribe is called the angels (መላእክት), with Ananiel (አናንኤል) as their chief. They are responsible for casting down fiery thunders (የእሳት ነጐድጓድ) to the earth. Additionally, they guard the sun, moon, stars, crops, plants, and all creation above the earth and beneath the heavens. (ኩፋሌ or Jubilee 2:6-8, Enoch 20:38-42)

The holy angels reside in three places: Iyor (ኢዮር), Ramah (ራማ), and Erer (ኤረር). Forty tribes live in Iyor, thirty in Ramah, and thirty in Erer. However, after the devil was cast out due to his pride, the tribes were reduced from 100 to 99, and the chiefs from 10 to 9. (Luke 15:4)

These angels remain in their designated places, moving only at the command of the Creator, God. When commanded, they ascend and descend with a speed surpassing that of light. (Enoch 20:38-42)

The following describes the cities of the holy angels, their chiefs, and their tribes:

Tribes of Angels and Their Chiefs

Iyor (ኢዮር)

• Agaizt (አጋእዝት) – Satnael (ሳጥናኤል), 10 tribes
• Cherubim (ኪሩቤል) – Cherub (ኪሩብ), 10 tribes
• Seraphim (ሱራፌል) – Serapi (ሱራፊ), 10 tribes
• Hailat (ኃይላት) – Michael (ሚካኤል), 10 tribes

Ramah (ራማ)

• Arbab (አርባብ) – Gabriel (ገብርኤል), 10 tribes
• Menabirt (መናብርት) – Raphael (ሩፋኤል), 10 tribes
• Siltanat (ሥልጣናት) – Surial (ሱርያል), 10 tribes

Erer (ኤረር)

• Mekuanint (መኳንንት) – Zedakael (ሰዳክኤል), 10 tribes
• Liqanat (ሊቃናት) – Salatiel (ሰላትኤል), 10 tribes
• Angels (መላእክት) – Ananiel (አናንኤል), 10 tribes

Conclusion

The angelic tribes, as outlined by Saint Epiphanius, offer a profound insight into the EOTC’s rich spiritual tradition and its reverence for the heavenly hierarchy. From their divine creation on the first day to their roles in worship and service, these angels reflect the order and purpose of God's creation. Let this exploration deepen our understanding of the heavenly kingdom and inspire us in the greatness of God's divine plan and His heavenly hosts.

 

Exploring Angelology (ነገረ መላእክት) in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church: A Brief Overview – Part I

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, angels play a pivotal role in spiritual life and human affairs. Known as divine messengers and servants of God, they carry out His will, reconcile people with God, protect the faithful, and bring messages of salvation. This essay provides a brief overview of angelology (ነገረ መላእክት) in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, exploring their roles, nature, and significance, as rooted in scripture and tradition.

The word "angel" has two key meanings. First, it refers to a chief or officer, as seen in Revelations 1:20, 2: 1 and 3:1, where the seven leaders of the church are called angels. The second meaning, highlighted in Hebrews 1:14, refers to angels as "messengers" or "those who are sent." This definition explains the angels' role as beings sent from God to serve and assist humanity. As stated in the verse, "ሁሉ መዳንን ይወርሱ ዘንድ ስላላቸው ለማገዝ የሚላኩ የሚያገለግሉም መናፍስት አይደሉምን?", angels are spiritual beings sent to carry out divine missions. They are also referred to as the "heavenly hosts" or "army," as seen in Luke 2:13: "ድንገትም ብዙ የሰማይ ሠራዊት ከመልአኩ ጋር ነበሩ። እግዚአብሔርንም እያመሰገኑ…". These hosts, or armies, are a multitude of angels who serve God and carry out His will.

Angels are of two kinds: angels of light and evil angels. The latter belongs to the army of the devil, the prince of darkness. To distinguish God’s angels from others, we use the term "holy," as seen in Revelation 12:7-9.

Angels were created on the first day (Sunday), as noted in the Book of Jubilee (ኩፋሌ) 2:6-8. The Psalmist David confirms this: “በእግዚአብሔር ቃል ሰማዮች ጸኑ፥ ሠራዊታቸውም ሁሉ በአፉ እስትንፋስ” (Psalm 33:6). In contrast, humanity was created on the sixth day (Friday) as recorded in Genesis 1:26–31. Some scholars propose that angels, being created earlier, are seen as humanity’s older brothers.

Holy angels are swift as fire and powerful as the wind, faithfully carrying out God’s will. As the Psalmist declares, “መላእክቱን መንፈስ የሚያደርግ፥ አገልጋዮቹንም የእሳት ነበልባል።” (Psalm 104:4), they are described as spirits and servants like fire, highlighting their unmatched speed and power in executing divine commands.

The number of angels is immeasurable and beyond human comprehension. Revelation 5:11 intensely illustrates their vastness: “አየሁም፥ በዙፋኑም በእንስሶቹም በሽማግሌዎቹም ዙሪያ የብዙ መላእክትን ድምፅ ሰማሁ፤ ቍጥራቸውም አእላፋት ጊዜ አእላፋትና ሺህ ጊዜ ሺህ ነበር፥” This verse emphasizes the countless holy angels who tirelessly serve, glorify, and praise God.

Holy angels do not experience hunger, thirst, or the need for clothing and shelter. As stated in Tobit 12:17-19, “እኔም ተገለጥኩላችሁ፤ ነገር ግን እይታን አያችሁ እንጂ ከእናንተ ጋር አልበላሁም፤ አልጠጣሁምም,” angels are not bound by human needs. They also lack gender, as seen in Matthew 22:30-31: “በትንሣኤስ እንደ እግዚአብሔር መላእክት በሰማይ ይሆናሉ እንጂ አያገቡም አይጋቡምም,” meaning they do not marry or reproduce. Furthermore, angels are immortal, as stated in Luke 20:35-36: “…እንደ መላእክት ናቸውና፥ ሊሞቱም ወደ ፊት አይቻላቸውም,” showing they do not die but live eternally as God's children.

The roles of the holy angels include:

They continually praise God, saying, "Holy, holy, holy" (Isaiah 6:3). They deliver God's message to His people, as they did for Hagar (Genesis 16:7-11), Abraham (Genesis 22:11-18), Zechariah (Luke 1:11-13), and the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-31).

Additionally, they intercede and reconcile people with God, as seen in the angel's words: “የእግዚአብሔርም መልአክ መልሶ፦ አቤቱ፥ የሠራዊት ጌታ ሆይ፥ እነዚህ ሰባ ዓመት የተቈጣሃቸውን ኢየሩሳሌምንና የይሁዳን ከተሞች የማትምራቸው እስከ መቼ ነው? አለ። እግዚአብሔርም መልሶ ከእኔ ጋር ይነጋገር ለነበረው መልአክ በመልካምና በሚያጽናና ቃል ተናገረው።…ስለዚህ እግዚአብሔር እንዲህ ይላል፦ ወደ ኢየሩሳሌም በምሕረት ተመልሻለሁ፤ ቤቴ ይሠራባታል፤” (Zechariah 1:12).

Moreover, they impart understanding (ማስተዋል) and wisdom (ጥበብ) to humans, as Saint Gabriel did for the prophet Daniel (Daniel 8:16-17, 9:21-23) and Saint Uriel for Ezra (Ezra 2:1). They also save people from destruction, as they saved Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:1-29) and protected the three young men from the burning fire (Dan. 3:12-30).

Similarly, Psalm 34:7 states, “የእግዚአብሔር መልአክ በሚፈሩት ሰዎች ዙሪያ ይሰፍራል፥ ያድናቸውማል።” This verse affirms that the angel of the Lord surrounds and protects those who fear Him. They also guard our ways, as written in Psalms 91:10-12: “ክፉ ነገር ወደ አንተ አይቀርብም፥ መቅሠፍትም ወደ ቤትህ አይገባም። በመንገድህ ሁሉ ይጠብቁህ ዘንድ መላእክቱን ስለ አንተ ያዝዛቸዋልና፤ እግርህም በድንጋይ እንዳትሰናከል በእጆቻቸው ያነሡሃል።” This passage assures that angels protect and keep us from harm.

Holy angels are the servants of the Church, the body of Christ. They proclaimed the birth of our Lord and rejoiced at His birth in the manger in Bethlehem (Luke 2:10-12). They announced His birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:13-14) and accompanied Him during His exile to Egypt (Matthew 2:13). They strengthened Him in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43) and, according to tradition, sprinkled His blood on the world. They declared His resurrection (Matthew 28:5-7, Luke 24:4-7) and, at His second coming, will raise the dead with Him (Matthew 24:30-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Likewise, the holy angels instructed the Ethiopian eunuch to be baptized (Acts 8:26), guided the apostles, and spread the gospel among the nations (Acts 10:3-6). They comforted St. Paul during the storm at sea, assuring him that no one would perish (Acts 27:20-25). The holy angels are always with Christ and His body, the Church—the believers. As Hebrews 1:14 states: “ሁሉ መዳንን ይወርሱ ዘንድ ስላላቸው ለማገዝ የሚላኩ የሚያገለግሉም መናፍስት አይደሉምን?” They serve us, guarding us from danger and destruction.

In conclusion, holy angels in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church express God's divine presence and serve as protectors and guides for the faithful. Their immense spiritual power, strict devotion, and continual intercession reveal the deep connection between the heavenly and earthly life. As messengers of God's grace and servants of His will, angels continue to play an integral role in the life of the Church and its followers, inspiring respect and reverence in the hearts of believers.

The Occurrence of Evil Practices in Today’s World: Causes and Remedies from the Bible and Church Fathers

In our modern era, many people engage in actions that violate the moral and spiritual principles of God’s laws. From selfish ambition and materialism to the disregard for sacred traditions and the normalization of harmful behaviors, society increasingly reflects a departure from spiritual values. Why, today, do so many incline toward what is harmful or unholy? More importantly, what remedies do the Bible and the Church Fathers provide for addressing this loss of righteousness? By examining the causes of these trends and drawing on ancient Christian teachings, we can rediscover how to live in faith and virtue. 

Causes for Turning Away from God’s Laws

1.  Loss of Faith and Disconnection from God

A primary cause of widespread sinful practices is the decline in faith and personal connection with God. As spiritual distance grows, people's moral compass often diminishes. St. Paul warns of the consequences of rejecting God, describing how those who turn away fall into various sins as their hearts become darkened:

“እግዚአብሔርን ለማወቅ ባልወደዱት መጠን እግዚአብሔር የማይገባውን ያደርጉ ዘንድ ለማይረባ አእምሮ አሳልፎ ሰጣቸው፤

ዓመፃ ሁሉ፥ ግፍ፥ መመኘት፥ ክፋት ሞላባቸው፤ ቅናትን፥ ነፍስ መግደልን፥ ክርክርን፥ ተንኰልን፥ ክፉ ጠባይን ተሞሉ፤ የሚያሾከሹኩ፥ሐሜተኞች፥ አምላክን የሚጠሉ፥ የሚያንገላቱ፥ ትዕቢተኞች፥ ትምክህተኞች፥ ክፋትን የሚፈላለጉ፥ ለወላጆቻቸው የማይታዘዙ፥የማያስተውሉ፥ ውል የሚያፈርሱ፥ ፍቅር የሌላቸው፥ ምሕረት ያጡ ናቸው፤እንደነዚህ ለሚያደርጉት ሞት ይገባቸዋል የሚለውን የእግዚአብሔርን ሕግ እያወቁ እነዚህን ከሚያደርጉ ጋር ይስማማሉ እንጂ አድራጊዎች ብቻ አይደሉም።” (Romans 1:28–32)

Likewise, St. John Chrysostom teaches that without reverence for God, people become focused on worldly pleasures, fame, and power. This detachment from God leads them to seek fulfillment in things that ultimately cannot satisfy the soul’s deeper needs. (On Ephesians, Homily 12)

2. Influence of Secularism and Materialism

In today’s world, the search for material success, personal achievement, and independence is often prioritized over spiritual growth. In 1 John 2:15-17, believers are warned not to "love the world or the things in the world":

“ዓለምን ወይም በዓለም ያሉትን አትውደዱ፤ በዓለም ያለው ሁሉ እርሱም የሥጋ ምኞትና የዓይን አምሮት ስለ ገንዘብም መመካት ከዓለም ስለ ሆነ እንጂ ከአባት ስላልሆነ፥ ማንም ዓለምን ቢወድ የአባት ፍቅር በእርሱ ውስጥ የለም። ዓለሙም ምኞቱም ያልፋሉ፤ የእግዚአብሔርን ፈቃድ የሚያደርግ ግን ለዘላለም ይኖራል።”

The persistent search for wealth, status, and sensory pleasure can distract individuals from the higher calling of holiness. The Desert Fathers, notably St. Anthony the Great, taught that attachment to material possessions binds the soul, hindering the pursuit of virtues like humility, charity, and patience (The Life of St. Anthony by St. Athanasius). This materialistic mindset shifts the focus from a journey toward God to one centered on personal gain and worldly success.

3. Weakness of the Flesh and Spiritual Ignorance

Human beings are inherently vulnerable to temptation. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus reminds His disciples, " Watch and pray; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,"  “ወደ ፈተና እንዳትገቡ ትጉና ጸልዩ፤ መንፈስስ ተዘጋጅታለች ሥጋ ግን ደካማ ነው,” indicating the constant tension between spiritual desires and bodily feelings. Many lack the spiritual awareness or discipline necessary to resist these feelings, which often lead to sinful choices. St. Augustine emphasizes the danger of ignorance (lack of knowledge) in spiritual matters. In his Confessions, he writes, “I was not aware that my soul’s weakness was bound up with a lack of knowledge, and so I was ignorant of the true strength that could only be found in God’s wisdom" (Confessions, Book 8, Chapter 12). Without knowledge of God’s commandments or the practice of self-discipline, individuals are easily led into sin, guided more by their impulses than by divine teachings.

4. Satanic Influence and Deception (ማታለል)

Both the Bible and the Church Fathers recognize that Satan actively works to lead people away from God’s path. In 1 Peter 5:8, Satan is described as a "roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour," “በመጠን ኑሩ ንቁም፥ ባላጋራችሁ ዲያብሎስ የሚውጠውን ፈልጎ እንደሚያገሣ አንበሳ ይዞራልና፤," emphasizing the active danger of his temptations. St. Athanasius, in his writings, warns that Satan exploits human weaknesses to deceive (ለማታለል) and lead individuals into sin. St. Athanasius stresses the importance of spiritual caution, as the enemy thrives in confusion, doubt, and despair (St. Athanasius, Letters to Serapion). Without strong faith and discernment, individuals are vulnerable to being led off track.

Remedies from the Bible and the Church Fathers

In response to spiritual challenges, both the Bible and the writings of the Church Fathers offer a wealth of guidance to help believers struggle with sin and cultivate lives of holiness. Here are some time-honored solutions:

1. Repentance and Confession (ንስሐ መግባት እና መጸጸት)

The first and most essential step in overcoming sin is sincere repentance (ከልብ የመነጨ ንስሐ). Jesus teaches in Luke 15:7 that "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents," “እላችኋለሁ፥ እንዲሁ ንስሐ ከማያስፈልጋቸው ከዘጠና ዘጠኝ ጻድቃን ይልቅ ንስሐ በሚገባ በአንድ ኃጢአተኛ በሰማይ ደስታ ይሆናል።” Repentance allows individuals to acknowledge their wrongs, seek forgiveness, and return to God. St. John Climacus, in The Ladder of Divine Ascent, emphasizes that confession and repentance purify the soul, restoring it to a state of grace. This humility before God not only cleanses past sins but also strengthens the believer, enabling them to resist future temptations. As St. John  Climacus writes, “Repentance is the gate through which we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 28).

2. Cultivating a Life of Prayer and Fasting

Prayer and fasting are vital tools for strengthening the spirit and overcoming the weaknesses of the flesh. Jesus Himself taught that certain temptations can only be overcome through “prayer and fasting” “ይህ ዓይነት ግን ከጸሎትና ከጦም በቀር አይወጣም አላቸው።” (Matthew 17:21). Prayer connects believers directly to God, inviting His guidance and support, while fasting disciplines the body, helping to reduce the control of earthly desires. The Desert Fathers, in particular, placed great emphasis on these practices. St. Isaac the Syrian teaches that fasting humbles the soul, making it more receptive to the Holy Spirit’s influence. He writes, "Fasting is the mother of purity and the seed of virtue" (Ascetical Homilies, Homily 21). Together, prayer and fasting strengthen the soul, enabling believers to resist the forces of sin.

3.     Living a Life of Love and Compassion

Jesus commanded His followers to “love one another.” “እርስ በርሳችሁ ትዋደዱ ዘንድ፥ እንደ ወደድኋችሁ እናንተ ደግሞ እርስ በርሳችሁ ትዋደዱ ዘንድ አዲስ ትእዛዝ እሰጣችኋለሁ።” (John 13:34). This commandment lies at the heart of Christian ethics, as love serves as the foundation of all virtue. True love prevents individuals from acting selfishly or harmfully, encouraging them instead to fulfill God’s commandments through humility and service to others.

St. Basil the Great regarded love as the highest virtue, describing it as the fulfillment of all laws and the source of all good deeds (The Long Rules, Question 3). Similarly, St. John Chrysostom emphasized the transformative power of love, teaching that “nothing will so benefit to unite us with God and to conform us to Him, as love” (Homily 32 on 1 Corinthians). Through selfless love and compassion, believers can overcome the temptations of pride, greed, and anger, finding instead the peace and joy that come from aligning their hearts with God’s will.

4. Regular Participation in the Sacraments and Church Services

The sacraments, especially the Eucharist (ቅዱስ ቁርባን), are vital sources of divine grace that strengthen believers against sin. Jesus declared, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life” “ሥጋዬን የሚበላ ደሜንም የሚጠጣ የዘላለም ሕይወት አለው፥ እኔም በመጨረሻው ቀን አስነሣዋለሁ። ሥጋዬ እውነተኛ መብል ደሜም እውነተኛ መጠጥ ነውና። ሥጋዬን የሚበላ ደሜንም የሚጠጣ በእኔ ይኖራል እኔም በእርሱ እኖራለሁ። ሕያው አብ እንደ ላከኝ እኔም ከአብ የተነሣ ሕያው እንደምሆን፥ እንዲሁ የሚበላኝ ደግሞ ከእኔ የተነሣ ሕያው ይሆናል።ከሰማይ የወረደ እንጀራ ይህ ነው፤ አባቶቻችሁ መና በልተው እንደ ሞቱ አይደለም፤ ይህን እንጀራ የሚበላ ለዘላለም ይኖራል፡፡”( (John 6:54–58), emphasizing the life-giving and transformative power of the Eucharist. St. Cyril of Jerusalem taught that the Eucharist is "the bread of life," nourishing the soul and granting eternal union with Christ (Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 22. Mystagogic 4). This divine meal supports the faithful against sin, granting strength to overcome spiritual struggles. Additionally, St. John Chrysostom explained that regular participation in the Eucharist binds believers to Christ, saying, “When you see [the Eucharist], say to yourself, ‘Because of this Body, I am no longer earth and ashes, no longer a prisoner, but free.’” (Homilies on 1 Corinthians, Homily 24). Regular participation in the sacraments and Church services keeps the soul united with Christ and the Church, enabling spiritual growth and offering divine protection from the destructive influences of sin.

5. Studying Scripture and the Teachings of the Church Fathers

Knowledge of God’s Word and the wisdom of the early Church Fathers serve as powerful defenses against dishonesty and moral confusion. St. Paul advises Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” “የእግዚአብሔር ሰው ፍጹምና ለበጎ ሥራ ሁሉ የተዘጋጀ ይሆን ዘንድ፥ የእግዚአብሔር መንፈስ ያለበት መጽሐፍ ሁሉ ለትምህርትና ለተግሣጽ ልብንም ለማቅናት በጽድቅም ላለው ምክር ደግሞ ይጠቅማል።” (2 Timothy 3:16), underlining the importance of studying spiritual texts.

St. John Chrysostom strongly encouraged Christians to study Scripture daily, stating, "Great is the profit of the Scriptures, and all-sufficient is the aid which comes from them" (Homilies on 2 Timothy, Homily 9). He taught that Scripture not only reminds believers of God’s commandments but also inspires them to live virtuously (በበጎ ስነ ምግባር).

Furthermore, St. Athanasius of Alexandria highlighted the transformative power of Scripture, saying, "These books are fountains of salvation, that they may quench the thirst of all peoples" (Festal Letter 39). The writings of the Church Fathers magnify the wisdom of Scripture, providing timeless insights for navigating spiritual and practical challenges. Together, these teachings guide believers in cultivating faith and virtue.

Conclusion

The occurrence of sin and evil in today’s world reflects a profound spiritual crisis rooted in a loss of faith, attachment to materialism, weakness of the flesh, and the influence of Satan. However, the Bible and the teachings of the Church Fathers offer effective paths for renewal. Through repentance, prayer, love, sacramental and Church services participation, and scriptural study, believers can restore their connection with God, gain strength against temptation, and shine as inspirations of divine light in a world often overshadowed by darkness. These spiritual practices not only transform individual lives but also inspire others to seek a faith-centered existence of hope and love, as modeled by Christ Himself.