Eritreans call for the release of H.H Patriarch Antonios

The Eritrean Orthodox Church Archdiocese of North America has conducted a peaceful demonstration on November 8, 2019, in Washington DC in front of the White House and Capitol Hill. The purpose of this demonstration was to highlight the case of His Holiness Abune Antonios, Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church who has been condemned to house arrest for nearly fourteen years for his religious belief. Also, to bring into light the case of all Eritrean prisoners of conscience who are suffering incommunicado without due process.

His Holiness Abune Antonios, as the ultimate holy shepherd of his flock, objected the Government actions to the confiscation of church properties, hijacking church offerings, expropriation of tithes and pressing priests and deacons to military services. He called for the release of all prisoners of conscience in Eritrea. His Holiness also strenuously opposed the government’s interference in the affairs of the church. The government of Eritrea, which took His Holiness’s demands as an affront and challenge to its rule, deposed the leader of more than half the population of Eritrea in 2005 and finally put him under house arrest in 2006.

This peaceful demonstration was led by 30 clergy members and 10 deacons who represented their respective churches and their faithful communities. This is historic in many ways as this is the first peaceful demonstration organized and led by the clergy members of the Eritrean Orthodox Diocese of North America.

The demonstration began at 10:00 am on November 8, 2019, in front of the White House and marched to Capitol Hill. During the demonstration people were chanting and calling for “Free Abune Antonios”, “His Holiness is the only legitimate Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church”, “Free All Prisoners of conscious”, as well as calling for “to stop Government of Eritrea from interfering in the religious affairs”.

The Eritrean Orthodox Church is facing an existential threat under the relentless assault by the current Eritrean regime of President Isaias Afewerki and his party known as the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ).

The demonstration concluded by calling for

1. The release of His Holiness Patriarch Antonios. His Holiness is ninety-four years old with ill health. He has already spent the last fourteen years in house arrest.

2. The Eritrean government to release the thousands of other prisoners of conscience languishing in its innumerable prisons and dungeons.

3. For the Eritrean government to cease from all interference in the internal affairs of the Church and restore the right of the people to enjoy the most fundamental rights most of the world nowadays enjoys.

Eritrean Orthodox Church, Archdiocese of North America.