Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin

Source: Fides

Concerns are growing over the safety of an Eastern rite Catholic bishop, his priests and religious, and a group of 25 Salesian missionaries.

Since the beginning of the fighting in the Tigray region on 4 November, there has been no reliable information about the fate of Catholic Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin, his priests and around one hundred Eastern religious from the Eparchy of Adigrat. Local sources have told Fides concern is growing over the complete silence on the fate of ‘Abune’ Tesfaselassie.

The only indirect communication that can be attributed to the Bishop is a letter to church staff dating back to 23 November in which he refers to the difficult humanitarian situation in Tigray, where medicines, food, fuel and all essentials are lacking.

Last week it was reported that 25 Salesian missionaries are also trapped without communications in the Tigray region. “The situation is very tense, anything can happen at any moment and we have no information because everything is cut off, both the internet and the telephone,” a Salesian from Addis Ababa told Fides.

He said the Salesians have four communities in Tigray and that “the last connection with one of the communities was ten days ago – with the others it was not possible – and they told us that essential goods were starting to run out, such as electricity. , petrol and food.”