The Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church is one of the oldest Christian Churches in the world. It is as old as Christianity itself. Dating as far back as the Queen of Sheba of Ethiopia who went to visit the wise king to hear his wisdom. King Solomon poured out his heart to the Queen of Sheba about his God and his Kingdom. The story further goes in the Kibera Negus that they fell in love and had a son called Menelik who brought the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia. On the Queens return to her kingdom Ethiopian faith became Judaism. No more worshipping the moon and stars but the now the worship of the God of King Solomon and the law of Moses until Queen Candice of Ethiopia.
As we move into the new testament of the bible and the time of the apostles, we see how Ethiopia moves from Judaism into Christianity. In the Acts of the Apostle 8:26- 40 they speak of an Ethiopian Eunuch who came to Jerusalem for the ceremonial celebrations held from the time of Moses. Queen Candice of Ethiopia sent her royal treasure the Eunuch to represent them at the festival. The Eunuch was sitting in his chariot reading the book of the Prophet Isaiah. The Apostle Philip was passing by when he asks the Eunuch if he understood what he was reading and the Eunuch answered how can I. The Apostle Philip revealed all to his understanding. Philip also shared with him the Gospel of Christ. Upon hearing this the Eunuch ask to be baptized. Heading back to Ethiopia the Eunuch told Queen Candice all that had happen on his journey and shared with her the Gospel of Christ. Ethiopia became a Christian nation from then on. All the Emperors of Ethiopia after Queen Candice protected the Christian faith from the time the Gospel of Christ came into Ethiopia until now making Ethiopia the oldest Christian nation in the world.
Throughout the Solomon dynasty from the time of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon’s son Menelik, and all emperors after that sat on the throne, kept Ethiopia independence alive with its Christian faith. All the way down to the 225th emperor Haile Selassie. Emperor Haile Selassie, birth name Tafari Makonnen became Ras, meaning Prince in the Ethiopian language called Geez. His formal name Ras Tafari became informally Rastafari Prince Tafari. On his coronation November 2nd 1930 he was crowned King of Kings of Ethiopia “Haile Selassie” meaning the power of the Holy Trinity like the Christian Trinity, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, and light of the world. The Emperor and his Empress, Empress Menen were both crowned on the same day. To some who took on the name Rastafari as a religious movement or a way of life, Haile Selassie became God to some and the second coming of Christ in the Rastafari movement. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church Haile Selassie was the head and defender of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian faith. He is the last Christian Emperor of Ethiopia and fought to uphold and share the teachings of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian faith throughout his years. The EOTC has spread across nations with branches in the United States, the Caribbean including Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados. With the help of God, we will one day see a branch in the Bahamas.
With this being said, the Rastafari Movement has lost a hero of a man. The Honorable Philip Priest Blyden was a professor, a father, a great art teacher, and a Priest of the BoB
o Shanti movement. He is a very instrumental figure in the Rastafari movement achieving several significant milestones - joining Rastas all over The Bahamas to be under one house, the House of Rastafari; encouraging the Pan African movement for liberation and repatriation; and bringing Rasta issues to the forefront. His greatness was felt in every house of Rastafari and he will be missed. Rest In Power Jah B. May we meet again on that bright and shiny morning. –
Edvardo Lewis