The Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jamaica and the Western Hemisphere, His Eminence Abuna Yesesaq, died at age 72 on Thursday in the Newark Beth Israel Medical Centre, New Jersey, USA.

According to a press release from the local chapter of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abuna Yesesaq was sent to Jamaica in 1970 by Emperor Haile Selassie I, to establish the church here.

The priest served in Jamaica for more than 35 years, establishing branches of the EOC islandwide as well as the Abuna Yesesaq Home for the Aged, the Black Lion Bakery and two early childhood education centres.

In addition, he established branches of the EOC in England, Canada, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, Guyana, St Kitts and Bermuda. And in the United States Abuna Yesesaq in his 45 years of service established 12 churches.

The press release said that on his arrival in Jamaica in 1970, the archbishop "petitioned the Jamaican government to stop the demoralisation of Rastafarians".

On his first visit to Jamaica, the release stated, Abuna Yesesaq baptised more than 700 members into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church one of the world's oldest (Christian churches) in which they could observe the sacraments of confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Communion, Penance, Unction to the sick and Holy Orders.

He also ordained many local priests and deacons, one of whom was the late priest of St Tekle Haimanot (Bull Bay branch church) Abba Wolde Medhin who passed away in September of last year.

It was the life-long vision for Abuna Yesesaq to erect the first Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral in Jamaica, which is currently being built at 89 Maxfield Avenue in Kingston.

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