Bob Marleys Christian belief and baptism in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church by Archbishop Abuna Yesehaq
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest organized churches (If not the oldest) in the world and dates back to biblical times (Read Acts 8:27-39 to learn more).
It must be noted, even though all world churches and religion have become corrupt, there is a pure remnant left to lead us into the light and we, as H.I.M. are Defenders of the ANCIENT Faith of Iyesus Christ. The Tewahedo Faith, predates Orthodoxy, which stems from the Greek teachings. Notably, the Faith, is different than the brick and mortar building, the church. The Ethiopian Church, though the Mother of Christianity has become corrupt by the Vatican, but we must not forsake the Ancient Tewahedo Order as proclaimed by H.I.M. We must worship through the spectacles of Ethiopia, and embrace the Tewahedo Faith as taught by H.I.M. (pre-our Emperor’s removal from the throne). The church of Ethiopia since Our Majesty was deposed have removed many ancient icons from the church, replacing with Roman Greco European false images. They are also guilty of diluting the faith and following the rules of the Sinod instead of the teachings of Iyesus Christ.
There are major differences between Rastafari and Haile Selassie’s Church. The first being the worship of Emperor Haile Selassie as the Messiah/Savior. The church has stated many times that their commission from Emperor Haile Selassie I was to lead Rastafarians away from worshiping him and turn to the worshipping of the God he worshipped. It is said that upon his return to Ethiopia from Jamaica, the Emperor spoke to Abuna Yesehaq, the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and declared “There is a problem in Jamaica. Please, help these people. They are misunderstanding, they do not understand our culture. They need a church to be established and you are chosen to go.”
Abune Yesehaq was raised by His Majesty and was sent in 1952 to establish the church in Jamaica. He was also the Archbishop of the Western Hemisphere at the Headquaters established in Bronx, New York at the Q’idist Selassie/Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Initially many in the Rastafarian community welcomed the church however when it became clear that to be baptized in the church, a Rastafarian had to accept the discipleship of Iyesus Christ, and to defend the Faith as Haile Selassie, the problems started. The church today has continued to maintain the stance that it would only baptize in the name of The Father/The Son-Iyesus Kristos/ and The Holy Spirit and not Haile Selassie I.
In order for Q’edemawi Haile Selassie to be crowned he had to Hail and take and Oath to DEFEND the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Faith, Our Ancient Christian Faith. We can agree that there are many hidden mysteries regarding the Divinity of H.I.M. and the Rastafari Faith has now raised to a higher metaphysical consciousness. Some Faithful Rastafari Members, though they Defend and Follow the Teachings of The Messiah/Immanuel The Christ, find the modern ETOC have lost it’s luster and true reverence. Thus, they worship as Tewahedo in private groups as independent faithful, and study and teach the word among themselves.
In order for Robert Nesta Marley to have an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo funeral, he had to be an official baptized member of the Ethiopian Tewahedo Faith. We have read the The Autobiography of His Majesty that he has been a Christian ALL His Life. He was born in the Faith and Haile Selassie I is not a hypocrite, a double minded person, who would Defend the Faith of Christ, yet deny him to the world.
H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I Speaks on Iyesus Christ
“When Jesus Christ was born from Virgin Mary, from that time on He lived an exemplary life, a life which men everywhere must emulate. This Life and the Faith that He taught Us assures Us of Salvation, assures Us also of Harmony and Good Life upon Earth. Because the Exemplary Character of the Life of Jesus Christ it is necessary that all men do their Maximum in their Human Efforts to see to it that they approximate as much as they can the Good Example that as been set by Him.. It is quite true that there is no perfection in humanity. From time to time we make mistakes, we do commit sins but even as we do that, deep in Our hearts as Christains we know we have forgivness from the Almighty. He taught Us all who seek Him shall Find Him. To live in this Healthy Life, a Christain Life, is what makes Me follow Jesus Christ.”
For Christian people no day is as glorious and as joyous as the day on which they commemorate the Nativity of Our Savior Jesus Christ. On this day each one of Us tries to forget his worries and his anxieties and endeavours to alleviate those of his loved ones and friends, and to forgive those who have wronged Him, so as only to mediate on the life of Him who is Supreme Lord in All.
From Our early childhood We are struck by the sentiments of unfathomable mystery, simple and yet sublime, which stirs up in Us the evocation of the Birth of the Divine Child.
The Mystery of Bethlehem reveals itself in our spirits, more fascinating the more we advance on the path of life, and the more we realize the magnitude of the mission each one of us has to accomplish in this world, be it humble or noble, ardous or thankless.
An unheard of event, expected for more then forty centuries has at last been accomplished: the Son of God is born. He has only a stable for His palace and a manger for a cradle. The hearts of the wise are thrilled by this majestic humilty, and the kings of the Earth bend their knees before Him and worship Him.
‘Peace on Earth, goodwil to men,’ -this was His first message. In the same manner when He went to the summit of Calvery, there to expiate for our sins with the supreme sacrifice, He gave up His last breath invoking forgivness for His very tormentors: ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’
In pondering over the life, the goodness, humanity and sacrifice of the Savior of the World, in looking at the laws which He gave us, how much should we be ashamed to call ourselves Christian people, and yet not to follow His footsteps. Had we been Christain people, had we been worthy of the name, peace would have reigned on all the face of the Earth, and would have risen to the level of the immortal angels who always glorify the Eternal God, and the peoples of the world would no longer have remained divided into hostile camps.
In very truth there are no interest or reasons, however legitimate they may be, that can justify war.
Excerpt of Interviews with Abuna Yesehaq who Baptised Bob Marley
Jamaica Gleaner Interview
In a newspaper interview with Archbishop Abuna Yesehaq done by Barbara Blake Hannah,November 25, 1984, in the Gleaner’s Sunday Magazine (pages 2,3,11), titled ‘Abuna Yesehaq Looks Back on 14 Years of Ministry in Jamaica’ the following was said about Bob Marley’s baptism.
“Bob was really a good brother, a child of God, regardless of how people looked at him. He had a desire to be baptised long ago, but there were people close to him who controlled him and who were aligned to a different aspect of Rastafari . But he came to Church regularly. I remember once while I was conducting the Mass, I looked at Bob and tears were streaming down his face…When he toured Los Angeles and New York and England, he preached the Orthodox faith, and many members in those cities came to the Church because of Bob. Many people think he was baptised because he knew he was dying, but that is not so…he did it when there was no longer any pressure on him, and when he was baptised, he hugged his family and wept, they all wept together for about half an hour.” (This section below is from p. 11.)
JBCTV Interview
In an Interview the following year (9th July, 1995) on the JBCTV (now called TVJ) program “Profile” he was asked by host Ian Boyne about the bapistim of Bob Marley. Below is a clip from that interview
Ian: You baptized Bob Marley?
Yesehaq: I did baptize Bob Marley in the presence of his wife Rita Marley and his children. Only the family, because he was not so willing to have it officially, it was difficult for him…which I don’t want to describe.
This week, we take a look at the life and Faith of Bob Marley. Did you know Bob Marley/Berhane Selassie was baptized TWICE in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Faith, by Abune Yesehaq, the personal Priest sent by Q’edemawi Haile Selassie? This monk/priest was sent to teach about Our Ancient Beta Krystian Faith. Abune Yesehaq personally told us that Bob’s life was threatened if he publicly spoke about him being a follower of Christ. Before Bob passed, he was baptized again where he received Getaye/Master Iyesus KRST with a full conscience. Abba said Bob wept until he wet up his priestly garments. As we walk in Truth, Justice and Righteousness, We Pray The Legacy of The Tewahedo Faith sent by H.I.M. be purified and uplifted and honored in these last days. May the soul of our Brother and Messenger Berhane Selassie/Bob Marley rest in peace.
