Mereja Forum

[EthioRedSea]

We have had scenes documented by Tigray TV where young boys and girls have been washing feet of pilgrims. Some of the pilgrims were insulting young boys. This voulntary service given by young men and girls as there is a huge potential of some pilgrims abusing these services. Such services could have been of big relief in the old day like in 19th Century Aksum. After the mid 20th century, it is dangerous for our children to wash the feet of pilgrims as some of the pilgrims are criminals and government spies.

In one of Tigray TV broadcasts a man was heard yelling at a young boy to come and wash his feet as if the boy was his slave. At the Meklle St. Michael's Station, young girls wre seen being abused by unknown pilgrims.

Feet washing of pilgrims should be done by the clergy and not women and boys. Clergy older than 20 years old could the feet washing .

Providing provisions like food for free is a waste of money and resources. Only those who are very poor should get food and lodging for free. Helping those who do not need it already unnecessary and unethical. Aksum Orthodox Church should protect the population from abuse. Besides there will more foreigners outside Ethiopia coming to Tigray, specially from Europe and America, for whom such spiritual places as Aksum hve more value than to amhara and Oromo pagans from Ethiopia.

[EthioRedSea]

The clergy should wash feet of the pilgrim, not children or such services should be stopped altogether. The Orthodox has no right to abuse chidren by misinforming them to do such services which could leave such a scar. The Amhara, Guraghe and Oromo pilgrims are like pagans. They have slave mentality and thus washing their feet is seen as something they have to abuse. Stop children from offering any such services please!

[EthioRedSea]

We are in 21. century and we should be critical of actions taken by the Orthodox Church in Tigray which usually are part of the tradition. Some practices of The Orthodox Church are counterproductive . The Curch can provide free food and accomodation to hundreds of thousands of people. The Aksumite population should also not give free food to pilgrims. The times have changed and the pilgrims should pay for their daily expenses.

[EthioRedSea]

The Orthodox Church should not provide free accomodation and food for pilgrims numbering almost a million. This is simply a waste of resources.