Background The cathedral was established on 22 December 1931 under the guide of Emperor
Haile Selassie. The construction was halted after
Italian invasion of the country until 1942. Since then, the church was designated for commemoration of Ethiopian resistance fighters against the invasion. As with the building of any church, the construction of the cathedral was considered the spiritual duty of a person of wealth. Construction started with the blessing of a replica of the cathedral's
Tabot, a replica of the
Ark of the Covenant. The cathedral has a threefold division modelled on
Solomon's Temple: The outer ring is where hymns are sung by the congregation; the middle circle is where
holy communion is given; and the innermost circle, accessible only by the
priests, contains the
Tabot. The cathedral is an example of a square church, circular churches being the most common type. Holy Trinity Cathedral bears the title
Menbere Tsebao ('Pure Altar'). It was built in 1942.
Cathedral complex The cathedral complex also includes the 'Bale Wold' (Feast of God the Son) Church, which is also known as the Church of the Four Heavenly Creatures. This church served as the original Holy Trinity Monastery Church before the building of the cathedral and dates back to the reign of Emperor
Menelik II. Other facilities include a primary and a secondary school, a
monastery and the Holy Trinity Theological College, a museum and monuments housing the remains of those
massacred in Addis Ababa by the Italians in 1937 in response to an assassination attempt against Marshal
Rodolfo Graziani, Viceroy of Italian East Africa. In addition is the monument and tomb of the officials of the imperial government who were executed by the
Communist Derg regime. Holy Trinity Cathedral is the official seat of the
Orthodox Archdiocese of Addis Ababa. The Patriarchs of the
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church are enthroned at Holy Trinity Cathedral and all Bishops are consecrated there as well. The church compound was the burial place for
those who fought against the
Italian occupation, or those who accompanied the Emperor
Haile Selassie into exile from 1936 to 1941.
Imperial tombs and burials of
Haile Selassie and
Menen Asfaw The emperor and his consort the Empress
Menen Asfaw are buried in the north
transept of the cathedral. Other members of the
Imperial Family are buried in the
crypt. The High Altar of the cathedral is dedicated to 'Agaiste Alem Kidist Selassie' (Sovereigns of the World the Holy Trinity). The other two altars in the Holy of Holies on either side of the High Altar are dedicated to
John the Baptist and to 'Kidane Meheret' (Our Lady Covenant of Mercy). In the south transept of the cathedral is the
chapel of
Archangel Michael, which houses the
Tabot of St. Michael the Archangel, which was returned to Ethiopia in February 2002 after being discovered in
Edinburgh. The tombs of Haile Selassie, Menen Asfaw, and other members of the Imperial Family are inside Holy Trinity Cathedral. Patriarchs,
Abuna Takla Haymanot and
Abune Paulos of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, are buried in the churchyard, as is the famous
British suffragette and
anti-fascist activist
Sylvia Pankhurst. Prime Minister
Meles Zenawi and other prominent Ethiopians are also buried there. ==Gallery==