Abuna Salama at Maqdala (1867)

On October 25, 1867, Abuna Salama—the Abuna (head bishop) of Ethiopia’s church—died while imprisoned at Maqdala, the mountain fortress that loomed over Emperor Tewodros II’s turbulent reign. Maqdala’s steep approaches and harsh climate made it both a refuge and a cage, a place where authority could be enforced by isolation.

Salama was remembered as a forceful and often tactless leader. In an age when theology, politics, and regional loyalties were tightly bound, he used excommunication against opponents and intensified divisions among clergy and nobles. His story remains a sober warning that truth can be defended in a way that harms the very people it aims to protect. “For man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.” (James 1:20)

Emperor Tewodros II and the Fortress of Power

Emperor Tewodros II sought to unify a fractured realm, and he pressed hard against rivals—secular and religious alike. The church’s influence touched every village, and disputes over authority could quickly become struggles for the soul of the nation. Maqdala became a symbol of that struggle: a fortress where the emperor’s resolve was concentrated, and where even prominent figures could be reduced to prisoners.

Yet confinement also stripped away the trappings of office. Salama’s last months reveal a different kind of strength: perseverance without platform, endurance without applause. Deprived of influence, he still bore the weight of his calling, suffering to the end in a conflict not easily resolved by decrees.

Lessons for Christ’s Flock

Salama’s legacy calls believers to pair conviction with humility. “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness.” (2 Timothy 2:24–25)

His death at Maqdala urges prayer for leaders in crisis, repentance where power has hardened hearts, and peace where Christ’s people have been divided. Zeal can build, but only love heals; and endurance, when purified of pride, can become a quiet testimony to faithfulness under trial.