Abune Dioskoros

Who is Abune Dioskoros?

Abune Dioskoros is the fourth Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, appointed in April 2007 with the unanimous approval of the Holy Synod of the church.

Certain Eritrean churches particularly in the diaspora do not recognise Abune Dioskoros as patriarch and continue to endorse his predecessor, Abune Antonios, who was removed from the post after having criticized the Eritrean government for interference in church affairs. The removal of Abune Antonios at the behest of the Eritrean government was denounced by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church who have refused to recognize Abune Dioskoros as legitimate Patriarch of Eritrea.