His Eminence Archbishop Abune Yesehaq Mandefro participating earlier in the eighth annual Interfaith Prayer Service for the 60th Session and year of the United Nations.

His Eminence Archbishop Abune Yesehaq Mandefro died peacefully at Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, NJ, USA, on Thursday, 29 December 2005. 

The memorial service will be held will be held on Tuesday, 10 January at 10 AM to 2 PM at Saint Bartholomew Church (Park Avenue at East 51 Street), New York, NY. 

Delegations of high ranking members of the Ethiopian royal families, dignitaries and religious leaders from many denominations will be present.       

by Gloria Starr Kins

His Eminence Archbishop Abune Yesehaq Mandefro, of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, was the founder of many of their USA based Churches in Washington DC, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, as well as in Bermuda, Canada, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The Monsignor baptized over 40,000 believers worldwide. The Archbishop supported and organized peace programs. He wrote many books in English but his most recognized one was in Amharic- Ethiopian official language about manifestation of those who converted to orthodoxy.    

Emissary of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Raymond Sommereyns, Director of the Outreach Division of the United Nations offered a heartfelt address from the S-G.

The Very Reverend James Parks Morton, Founder-President of the Interfaith Center of New York and the Temple of Understanding organized has always presided over the prestigious St. Barts U.N. ceremony.

Photos: Gloria Starr Kins

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