Event Overview:
Join us for a virtual presentation by Negasi Gidey, preist, theologian, researcher, and administrator serving the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) community in South Korea. In this session, he will explore the concept of spiritual space within the EOTC, examining its theological foundations, architectural structure, and lived religious practice. Drawing on biblical prototypes, traditional liturgy, and Ethiopia’s enduring monastic landscapes, he will demonstrate how sacred space in the EOTC functions not merely as physical architecture but as a dynamic, symbolic, and communal reality shaping spiritual formation and identity.
Time: Friday, January 09, 2026
12:30 (CET/Berlin) / 14:30 PM (East African Time Zone) / 8:30 ድሕሪ ሰዓት / ከሰዓት በኋላ (local time) / 20:00 (Seoul)
Link: zoom link will be sent via email after registration.
Contact us at: heritage.scapes@mu.edu.et
Presentation abstract:
This presentation explores the concept of spiritual spatial space within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), highlighting its theological foundations, architectural symbolism, and lived spiritual significance. In the EOTC tradition, spiritual space is understood as a sacred environment where believers consider the presence of God through worship, ritual order, and sensory experience. Rooted in biblical models of the Tabernacle and Temple, and preserved through ancient church traditions, Ethiopian spiritual space is embodied in the tripartite architecture of Qene Mahlet, Qeddest, and Qeddest Qeddusan, with the Tabot at its center as the ultimate sign of holiness. The presentation discusses how monasteries, sacred landscapes, and communal worship extend spiritual space beyond the church walls into everyday life. By analyzing theological and experiential dimensions, the presentation demonstrates that spiritual space in the EOTC is not merely physical architecture but a dynamic, symbolic, and communal reality that continues to shape religious identity and spiritual formation in Ethiopia today.
About Negasi Gidey:
Negasi Gidey serves the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church community in South Korea as an administrator and priest. Alongside his liturgical responsibilities, he previously worked as a research officer at the National Bank of Ethiopia and at several research institutions. He holds two master’s degrees in economics from Addis Ababa University and the University of Tsukuba, Japan.
Negasi’s academic and spiritual formation is rooted in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s traditional educational system. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in theology from Holy Trinity University in Addis Ababa. He is the author of a novel written in Geʽez and has published a book on economics in Amharic. His research interests focus on indigenous knowledge systems and social economics.
