Amen Ethiopa with sister Barbra at the community house in Antioch.

Amen Ethiopa with sister Barbra at the community house in Antioch.
We spent the night at this community house in Antioch with the Pilgrims of Trust. A very kind nun waited for us until 2.00 in the morning to show us our rooms and where we can find water incase we got tursty at night. 7 people including sister Barbra live in this very antique looking place and all of them from different religious back ground. The Pilgrims of Trust pray daily for peace in the world, specially in the middle east. They were so much pleased to welcome Amen Ethiopia to their community house and exchange ideas. In a room filled with small carvings depicting the word 'peace' in different languages, we sang together and shared a moment of silence all in the name of peace. They asked us to write the word 'peace' in Amharic and promised to make a similar carving and put it on the wall with the others. They said the next time we come to visit them, it will be there. As we were about to leave, Sr. Barbra came out to sprinkle our cars with holy water as it is a custom there that a guest will return to visit if you did that.

Audience with the Patriarch of Syrian Orth Church Damascus

His Holliness Mor Ignatius Zakka I, Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church.
We met His Holliness at the monastry of st. Ephrem in Saidnaya near Damascus. His Holliness was willing to see us in a very short notice. We gave a short introduction of the purpose and hope of Amen Ethiopia. His Holliness welcomed us very warmly,he said that he visited Ethiopia at the time of King Haile Silassie and repeatedly said: 'we love Ethiopia' which was very heart warming for us.He also said that Ethiopia and Syria share a special historical tie in that monks from Syria went to Ethiopia to preach the word of God in the earlier days of Christianity. He said our visit to Syria will strengthen the relationship between Ethiopia and Syria.

Friends among strangers:
We met this very special family at the bottom of the hill at the monastry in Syria. They asked who we were and we told them about Amen Ethiopia's pilgrimage. They immediately invited us for tea at their house which was not far from the monastry. I must say that we were touched and speechless by their kindness. Who would invite 14 strangers to their family home which was very fancy too, at this time in the world? On top of the drinks and sweets, they gave us gifts of candles, family pictures and the Qu'ran with their blessings and well wishes for our journey and peace for Ethiopia too.

Mozes monastery Nabek near Damascus.

A short visit to Father Paulo and Deir Mar Musa Al-Habashi in Nabek
We visited a monastry known by the name of a martyr called moses the Ethiopian. It is located in Nabek 300 steps up the hill in a land basically dominated by muslims. The place is highly respected and regarded as holy even by the muslims. 11 monks including Father Paulo live there, all from different christian denominations, praying and working for intereligious and ecumenical dialogue especially to promote mutual understanding and respect between the muslims and Christians in the middle east.

The Mufti of Istanbul

The Mufti of Istanbul
Meeting with His Excellency the Mufti (The highest Muslim religious leader) of Istanbul, a very pleasant man who was on his first day of office in Istanbul.
He greeted us with a very big smile and a warm welcome. On his welcome speech he pointed out that clashes in the world are clashes of not really religion or faith but of interest. He said it is such a beautiful thing to hear the sound of church bells along with the Alahu akbar of the Muslims early in the morning in Istanbul. After the Amen Ethiopia Pilgrims song which we sang hand in hand with him, he sang for us about the will of the Creator to make us all different and that we should love and respect one another.

The Writers and Journalists Foundation
Meeting with The Journalists and Writers Foundation. It felt very much like meeting friends. This group shares our vision in a very peculiar way. They worked with diverse people around the world in relation to inter-faith dialogue and peace building parties. Besides giving each of us gifts of tea cups from Istanbul they also gave us their words that we will work together in the future in bringing the vision of the Amen Ethiopia to a reality. They informed us that it was established in 1994 and shared some of their experiences which were of use to us all.

Audience with His All Holiness the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople (Istanbul).
We were offered to go to the guest room by the His Holiness’s personal secretary. After a few minutes All His Holiness arrived, a very graceful man who was well informed of our mission. We gave a very brief introduction of our visit. He pointed out the importance of dialogue and that it always needs sacrifice. He appreciated our effort and also said that he has been in Ethiopia before and plans to go back in the near future. He gave us his blessing, told us to send his greetings to all the religious leaders we meet along our pilgrimage. At last he gave each of us a small cross and told us he will keep us in his prayer.

Meeting with Father Gabrielle.
Address by Father Gabrielle a Greek Orthodox priest in Athens Father Gabrielle is in charge of the Synodical Committee on Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations. He took us to Areopagus Hill where the Apostle Paul preached the Good News (Gospel) to the people of Athens for the first time. Right at that spot father Gabrielle addressed the pilgrims of Amen Ethiopia by expressing his heart felt wish for peace, reconciliation, transformation and unity in Ethiopia at the eve of the third Millennium.

Abba Tesfamariam L. Mersha and Abba Petros Berga with Pope Benedict during the weekly audience.

The Pope blessed the pilgrims and appreciated the undertakings of Amen Ethiopia in promoting interreligious dialogue, peace and reconciliation. He emphatically expressed that he supports the initiative. He wished the pilgrims safe journey and promised to think them in his prayers.

'The pilgrims with Dr. Samuel Kobia at the center in the WCC, Geneva

Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, expressed his deep appreciation of the Amen Ethiopia journey of hope. He reiterated that the issue of peace and reconciliation in dialogue that Amen Ethiopia has at its center should be a theme for the entire African continent.