Mystery of the Trinity

1. FIVE PILLARS OF MYSTERY (አምስቱ አእማደ ሚስጢር - AMISTU AEMADE MYSTIR)

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has Five Pillars of Mystery through which it teaches and demonstrates its basic religious belief. They are called Pillars of Mystery due to the fact that they support and strengthen the faithful in religious teachings as a pillar supports a roof. These mysteries have Biblical foundation (1Cor. 14:19). Accordingly, the five pillars of mystery are expressed in the Creed, which is the confession of our faith.

In this section, the mystery of Unity and Trinity of the Triune God is described.

The Holy Trinity is three in name, in person (Akal), in deed and one in essence, in divinity, in existence, in will.

Three in name (በስም):- Father, Son, Holy Spirit (አብ- Ab፣ ወልድ - Wold፣ መንፈስ ቅዱስ-Menfes Qidus

Three in deed (በግብር):- the Father is the begetter, the Son is begotten, the Holy Spirit is the one who proceeds.

Three in person (በአካል):- the Father has a perfect person, the Son has a perfect person the Holy Spirit has a perfect person.

The Father is the heart, the Son is the word, and the Holy Spirit is the life (breath). The Father is the heart for Himself, and He is the heart for the Son and for the Holy Spirit. The Son is the word for Himself, and He is the word for the Father, and for the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is the life (breath) for Himself, and He is the life (breath) for the Father and the Son. Even though we say the Trinity are three in name, in deed and in person; the three are one in essence, in divinity, in existence and in will; we do not mean three Gods but one God. While the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit exist in their own perfect person, they are one in existence. (Abulidis, Faith of the Father’s Chap. 40 Verse 4:6).

As Ignatius has said in the Book of the Faith of the Fathers (Haimanote Abew - ሀይማኖተ አበው) the name of the Father is not changed to be the name of the Son or the Holy Spirit. The name of the Son is not changed to be the name of the Father or the Holy Spirit, the name of the Holy Spirit is not changed to be the name of the Father or the Son. The Father is called Father but not the Son or the Holy Spirit. The Son is called Son but not the Father or the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is called the Holy Spirit but not the Father and the Son. The Father is the Father, the Son is the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit. The three exist eternally in their own name and person. (Faith of the Fathers Ch. 11 part 1 Verse 7.8).

In their name of unity, the three are called Lord, God. Lord the Father, Lord the Son, and Lord the Holy Spirit One Lord. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit One God. The three hundred eighteen fathers in The Book of Faith (Haimanote Abew) said “we believe in Lord the Father, in Lord the Son, in Lord the Holy Spirit. (Hai. Ab. Ch. 19 Part 1 Verse 30).

The unity of God is confessed as the unity of Godhead – Melekote. The Father beget His son without days or hours; and when He beget Him, His Father was not separated from Him. Beyond time, God is the eternal One. That One is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No one of the three Persons is prior to the other two in time. The Apostolic St. Athanasius Archbishop of Alexandria said “The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. They are called one God but not three Gods.” (Apostolic Athanasius Faith of the Fathers Ch. 24 Part 4 Verse 4). It is stated in many places in the Old and the New Testament Books about the Oneness and Trinity of the Holy Trinity.

In the Old Testament Gen. 1:26; 2:18; 3:22; 11:7; 18:1-8; Ps. 33:6; 146:5; Isa. 6:3,8

In the New Testament Mt. 3:16-17; 28:19; Jn. 14:26; 2Cor. 14:13; 1Pet. 1:2; 1Jn. 5:7-8