👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾Holy #Welete #Petros (#Hidar 17)
Dear brethren in Christ, peace be to you.Today we remember the blessed mother Saint Welete Petros, a pillar of the Orthodox faith and a defender of the Tewahedo Church during the trials of Emperor Susenyos.
✍🏾Her Birth and Family
Saint Welete Petros was born in Daro in eastern Ethiopia.
Her father was Bahir Aseged, and her mother was Christos A-E-beya.She had two brothers, Yohannes and Zedengel, who served as high officials during the reign of King Susenyos.
After the death of her father, her mother remarried a military commander and had three more children. The place where Welete Petros later lived with her husband, Bitwoded Si-Ele Kristos, still contains her historical memorial stone.
✍🏾The Crisis of Faith Under Emperor Susenyos
While she lived peacefully with her husband, Emperor Susenyos abandoned the Tewahedo faith and accepted the teachings of Roman Catholics. He commanded all Ethiopians to follow the new religion, creating deep conflict between faithful Orthodox Christians and the king’s supporters.
When her husband brought the robe of Abune Simeon as an offering to the king, showing loyalty to the Catholic influence, Welete Petros was deeply grieved. Seeing the faith of her fathers dishonored, she refused to remain in the same house with someone who had accepted heresy. She sought a way to flee and secretly contacted monks from Tana for help.
✍🏾 Her Escape and Early Monastic Life
Abba Fetele Selassie, the abbot of Tana Kirkos Monastery, sent two nuns to bring her safely to the monastery. By this time, all her children had passed away. When her husband discovered her flight, he sent soldiers to retrieve her. Yet by God’s protection, she and the two nuns hid deep within a forest until the soldiers left. The place where they concealed themselves is still known as “Saga Welete Petros,” and a church was later built there in her memory.
After escaping danger, she entered Debre Enq Monastery. There she studied the monastic rule, received the monastic tonsure, and dedicated herself fully to God. With her vows came the beginning of great persecution. As a nun, Saint Welete Petros traveled across the regions, strengthening the faithful and urging them to stand firm in the Tewahedo faith. She taught them not to speak the name of the king who had corrupted the Church during the Divine Liturgy. Through her courage and spiritual guidance, many believers remained steadfast and even embraced martyrdom rather than abandon the faith of their fathers.
✍🏾The Trials and Perseverance of Saint Welete Petros
When Emperor Susenyos heard how boldly Saint Welete Petros was strengthening the faithful, he sent soldiers throughout the regions to capture her and bring her to judgment. At last she was seized and taken before the emperor. The princes, nobles, and scholars who had abandoned the Tewahedo faith for worldly gain gathered to examine her.
Her accusers charged her with grave offenses: “You have denied the king, denied God, refused His command, insulted the religion, and hardened the hearts of the people so they would not accept the king’s new faith.” Saint Welete Petros, following the example of her Lord Jesus Christ, remained silent before their accusations. Seeing her unshaken, the emperor placed her under house arrest, ordering her to live among her relatives so she would remain under close watch.
Yet during this time, the Church was being trampled and the Orthodox faith was openly despised. The love she had for her faith and her Church would not allow her to sit quietly in exile. She escaped from the place where she was confined and traveled to Zege Monastery. There, with her two faithful companions, Welete Paulos and Ehte kristos , she encouraged the monks and the local faithful to stand firm in the Tewahedo faith.
After staying there for some time, criticism and accusations from those opposed to her mission increased. So she left Zege and journeyed to Waldiba Monastery, continuing her mission of strengthening believers wherever she went.
Continues 👇🏾