abuna

The abuna is a religious office within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, historically serving as its primate or head bishop. The term "abuna" is derived from Aramaic and means "our father".123

For centuries, the Ethiopian Church was led by abunas appointed by the Coptic patriarch in Alexandria, Egypt. This practice changed in the mid-20th century as the Ethiopian Church sought greater independence. In 1951, Basilios became the first Ethiopian bishop to be consecrated as abuna, marking a significant step towards indigenous leadership. By 1959, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church achieved autocephaly, becoming ecclesiastically independent, and Basilios was elevated to the position of patriarch.12