A History of Mänagäsha-Amba St. Mary Monastery: 1916-2003

Abstract

The prime focus of this research is exploring the History of Mänagäsha Amba St. Mary Monastery from 1916 to 2003.The Monastery of Mänagäsha Amba St. Mary was founded during the reign of Empress Zewditu (1916-1930). The year 1916 was marked as the establishment year of the Monastery, while the year 2003 is regarded as a turning point in the history of the monastery. In 2003, the monastery of Mänagäsha Amba St. Mary had got financial support from the Aid and Development Organization of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church which reinstated the declined monastery through this financial and morale support. The other reason was that some Orthodox believers from abroad and within Ethiopia had organized and allocated associational budget to rehabilitate Mänagäsha Amba St. Mary Monastery. In the same year, the Wolmera Woreda Agricultural office had restored the farming land of the monastery which was taken over by the Derg with the purpose of covering the land with Sedar trees. The monastery was one of the few places in Ethiopia which served as an asylum until the removal of the monarchical regime. It had not only served as an asylum for secluded life but also as a refugee place for the needy at times of economic crises and also foreign aggression. The monastery served as unifying force of patriots in the struggle against the Fascist occupation. It had various means of income ranging from land taxation, shopping, crafts and public donations. It was also a famous center of traditional church educations in the region producing not only church men but also the many bureaucrats and judges in the secular government of Ethiopia.