The Life and Service of His Eminence Abune Henok
His Eminence Abune Henok, the current Archbishop of the South and West Africa Diocese of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, is a prominent spiritual leader known for his dedication, wisdom, and modern vision for the Church. He was born in Gimbi City, in the former Welega Province of Ethiopia. From a young age, he was immersed in both traditional spiritual education and modern academic studies, preparing him for a life of service to the Church and the faithful.
Abune Henok began his spiritual training at Abune Gebre Menfeskidus Abnet School in Kiltu Kara, where he studied under Merigeta Aemero. He later deepened his education at Debre Libanos Monastery, where he studied from the Praises of the Virgin Mary to M’eraf with Yeneta Ketsela. He also studied poetry in Mota under Yeneta Kinetebeb and learned the Liturgy from Yeneta A’emere. At Merto’lemariam Monastery, he completed his poetry studies under Yeneta Habte, and he studied Zemare Me’waset with Yeneta Yehun and the Four Gospels with Yeneta Heruy.
In addition to his deep spiritual foundation, Abune Henok pursued modern education. He attended schools in Aso, Gimbi, and Nekemte before graduating with a diploma in Accounting and Finance from Addis Ababa Polytechnic College. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from St. Mary’s University, and further advanced his studies in Project Management with both a Higher Diploma and Master’s degree from the International Business Management Institute (IBMI) in Germany. He also holds a certificate in International Relations from the European Institute of Leadership and Management.
His ecclesiastical journey began when he was ordained as a deacon in 1983 by His Eminence Abune Zena Markos, followed by monastic vows at Merto’lemariam Monastery in 1993, under Rese Resuan Abba Hayleysus. He was ordained a priest in 1997 by Abune Zechariah, and in 2005, he was appointed Bishop of West Welega by His Holiness Abune Paulos, the 5th Patriarch of Ethiopia.
Over the years, Abune Henok has served in various dioceses with great impact. From 2005 to 2019, he served as Archbishop of West Welega, Benishangul-Gumuz, and later Kelem Welega—which became an independent diocese under his leadership. He also served as Archbishop of Australia and New Zealand (2006–2019), working closely with the Ethiopian diaspora and Oriental Orthodox Churches. He then led the West Arsi Diocese from 2019 to 2022, where he introduced modern systems like HR management and launched a mobile app called Mezgebe Heyawan, the first of its kind in Church history. Since November 2022 -2025) , he has been serving as the Archbishop of Addis Ababa, where he continues to implement effective leadership and modernization initiatives, Currently from May 2025 he serving South and west Africa Diocese as archbishop.
One of his most notable achievements is the founding of the Tewahedo Media Center (TMC) in 2020, an institution designed to bridge the digital gap in Church communication. Through this platform, Abune Henok has empowered the Church’s media outreach and promoted Orthodox teachings to a wider audience. He also played a key role in the translation of the Holy Liturgy into Afaan Oromo, allowing more faithful in Oromia to participate fully in Church services. His contributions in education, technology, language inclusion, and inter-religious dialogue have positioned him as a respected leader not only within the Church but also across Ethiopia’s religious community.
In addition to his Church duties, he currently serves as the Board Chair and Superintendent of Tewahedo Media Center, Superintendent of ET Art Media, and from 2022 to 2025, as the Chairperson of the Addis Ababa Inter-Religious Council. Abune Henok’s life is a blend of deep spirituality, modern leadership, and unwavering service to the Church and its people.