Ethiopian Saints and Friends Celebrate New Worship Space in Utah via Live Broadcast

Saints and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to witness the dedication of a new worship space for the St. Mary’s Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Utah. Thanks to a live broadcast, communities across continents were able to celebrate this special occasion together.

President Oliva Cowley, who leads the Ethiopia Addis Ababa Mission, hosted nearly 40 guests in a hotel ballroom to view the event. The gathering was filled with warmth, connection, and a shared spirit of reverence. “Helping each other regardless of one’s religion, race or beliefs is what these events promote,” President Cowley said. The event served as a meaningful opportunity to strengthen interfaith relationships in Ethiopia.

“I was happy to hear how the Church through Elder Rasband helped in obtaining the space for the church construction and the church members who actively participated in building the church,” said Sister Abeba Birhane, a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox church in Addis Ababa. She was impressed by how leaders from both faiths were able to collaborate over miles away to make such an event possible. 

For the past nine years, members of the Ethiopian Orthodox congregation in Utah worshipped in a one-room building in Layton. Now, two former storage warehouses have been transformed—one into a dedicated worship space, and the other into a kitchen, restrooms, and a priest’s apartment.

This celebration not only marked the opening of a new worship space in Utah but also highlighted the global reach of faith and the power of shared values to bring people together. It was a moment of joy, connection, and spiritual unity that resonated across borders.