This was originally published March 20, 2024 on Subdeacon Daniel Kakish’s aptly named The Lion’s Den Youtube channel. This was my first appearance there, but he has been a guest on my channel before. In fact, it was even before Philosophy of Art and Science was a thing, and my only podcast was Tewahido Bible Study.
In this guest spot on The Lion’s Den, I commend Subdcn. Daniel for defending Afroasiatic Orthodox Christianity in the extremely online debate circuit, but even more for hosting an irl bible study that also examines Syriac Patristics (i.e. Mor Efrem, Jacob of Serugh) which lure-in technically Catholic Maronites and Chaldeans who are interested in studying their fathers. In that vein, since they are also our fathers in the ge’ez rite, Subdcn. Daniel and I read aloud Wednesday’s portion of the widasé maryam (Marian Praise) attributed to Mor Efrem, and I ask him to verify whether or not it is at least in the style or school of Efrem.
Photo taken by Dr. Candace Lukasik, Assistant Professor of Religion at Mississippi State University, “Joyful Palm Sunday from Alqosh, Nineveh”
And whereas St. yaréd the Aksumite may be well-deservedly the most famous father of the tewahdo tradition, there is a new wave of prominence, here and at-hand, for another father par excellence, aba geeyorgees (Fr. George) of segla.
Augustine Dickinson, Doctoral Student at Universität Hamburg (a giant in the field of Classical Ethiopic and Ethiopian Studies writ large) in Germany, runs a melk (rhyming poetry that can be chanted) gathering and analyzing account on Meta (formerly Facebook). From there, Sub Dcn. Daniel and I discuss a poem about aba geeyorgees.
From an unreleased vault, Subdcn. Daniel and I look at Dcn. Mehari Zemelak Worku, Phd. candidate’s forthcoming (at the end of the semester for the university, and perhaps a couple years for the general public) dissertation, 15th Century Ethiopian Orthodox Ecclesiology in Giyorgis of Sägla’s Mäṣhafä Mǝsṭir'; specifically ch. 2’s narrative of the saint. In the coming year, Godwilling, the Pacific Northwest will be blessed with dcn. meharee and I’s further collaboration irl for ge’ez, Amharic, scripture, and patristics.
Subdcn. Daniel and I discuss Prof. Habtemichael Kidane’s Old Testament Lessons in the Säʿatat of Giyorgis Säglawi. An article of considerable length that looks at the specific Liturgy of Hours, or Breviary, of aba geeyorgees, while acknowledging there are others (including one dcn. meharee and I have been working on since 2021, for which there will be Godwilling a few forthcoming publications). Prof. Habtemichael also looks at the tsome digwa, which our brother dcn. mihret recently covered here on ARB.
There is a newly made Aba Giorgis Film Instagram account, for a forthcoming film, that seems active, and a less active Meta account. Produced by Theophoros (God-bearing) Pictures (and negodguad “thunder” production), directed by my mogshé (nametwin) Henok Ayele, shot by Abeyo Nibret, and written by Samuél Gutta, Frézer Fréw, and Dagim Sisay.
God is glorified through his holy ones and saints.
P.S.
in conversation with Future Cancelled Knowledge, I have compiled this list of languages with a word for nametwin.
Please add to our list:
Amharic - mogshé/mokshé
tigriña - mokhsee
Brazilian Portuguese - xará (shara)
Russian - tiozka
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