Abuna Atnatewos II

Who was Abuna Atnatewos II?

Abuna Atnatewos II was the Abuna or head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. He was brought to Ethiopia by Emperor Yohannes IV, who raised the $20,000 to pay the Patriarch of Alexandria Cyril V.

Abuna Atnatewos actively worked against the influence of Catholic missionaries; Asseggahen wrote to Antoine d'Abbadie that Atnatewos anathematized the Catholic bishop Massaia, and threatened to excommunicate the inhabitants of Shewa were they to associate with him.

The Abuna supported Emperor Yohannes' campaign against the Egyptian attempt to annex Hamasien. It is reported that Abuna Atnatewos was wounded at the Battle of Gura, later dying on 29 June 1876.