Ethiopia: The First Christian Nation?
Posted by addisethiopia / አዲስ ኢትዮጵያ on March 5, 2013
My note: Our forefathers were confident enough to answer it with YES! But the question whether Pope Pius XI was defender of Ethiopia — historical sources indicitae the contrary, that Pope Pius XI recognised Italian sovereignity over Ethiopia
For centuries, historians have widely accepted the argument that Armenia was the first Christian nation. This important claim has become a source of national pride for Armenians and has remained virtually undisputed for centuries — until now.
Armenians will likely be up at arms when they learn that a new book — “Abyssinian Christianity: The First Christian Nation?” — is challenging their claim, presenting the possibility that Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea) was the first Christian nation.
The Acts of the Apostles describes the baptism of an Ethiopian eunuch shortly after the death of Christ. Eusebius of Caesaria, the first church historian, further tells of how the eunuch returned to his land to diffuse the Christian teachings.
And the earliest Ethiopian monastic tradition is linked to the account of the Holy Family visiting Ethiopia, centuries before the Christian monastic movement emerged. According to the legend, the Child Jesus and the Virgin Mary were transported from Egypt on a silver cloud. Their arrival symbolized the renewal of the Covenant, which began when Menelich brought the Ark from Jerusalem to Ethiopia.
Addis Ethiopia Weblog 
josephbiddulph said
Any claims about being “first” require good evidence, and evidence from the 3rd-4th-5th centuries is notoriously difficult to interpret. Anything stronger than “may have been” seems to be stretching the point. The “may have been” could be very useful, however, as it might draw scholars to re-assess and re-evaluate the sources. Traditions of course stand outside this textual scrutiny, though it is valuable to know who recounted the tradition and when. In any case, both Armenia and Ethiopia
can be proud of their long centuries of Christian witness: legitimate pride in one nationality shouldn’t really be used to impugn someone else’s legitimate pride in theirs.
addisethiopia said
But, it won’t be surprising if God places his 1st Kingdom on earth over the Cradle of Humankind, in Ethiopia. It’s not a question of pride, but it’s all about The Truth, against which the god of this world, Satan, fights tirelessly. If we follow God’s way, we won’t be surprised if The Almighty God chooses a “poor” and “week” country like Ethiopia, with so many external and internal enemies, as an example to execute His glorious plans for the world. God is with the poors of this world, and He shows his mightiness through them. Ethiopian pride is mostly accompanied by fears of the glorious and fearful Name of Egziabher (God) — it’s a Godly pride, it does bring no harm to fellow humans.