The war in northern Ethiopia has caused deep divisions in the country's largest religious community.
An Ethiopian monk, who once carried only the cross and Bible in a land famous for its rock-hewn churches, is now picking up a rifle to march into battle against Tigrayan rebels in a war that is tearing the nation - and the Orthodox Christian Church - apart.The monk, whose name means "servant of Mary", signed up to join the Ethiopian military, weeks after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on all able-bodied men to join the fight against the Tigray People's Liberation Front .
He said he had already received training from a militia in the neighbouring Amhara region, where he lives. State media also reported that the 5th Century Church of Checheho Medhanialem was damaged after coming under heavy artillery fire from the TPLF.in the village of Chenna Teklehaymanot, while locals said that six priests were among dozens of people killed during an attack by the group in late August., making them the largest and most influential religious group in the country. And the conflict has divided many of them.
Prof Getachew said the war had caused a deep rupture in the church, with the Tigray branch "informally going its own way". "He presents the war he is fighting as a spiritual fight. When speaking about international pressure to stop the war, he said that the country is willing to take the bitter drink that Jesus was forced to take on the Cross, and in the end 'we will win'.
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