lit a candle 15h agoDidn't know anything about him until this popped up on my feed. Illness, just like my nan. 94 though, that's a proper long life. Hope it was peaceful.
Their story
Abune Lucas, born Lukas Gebrehiwet Netsere and also written Abune Lukas or Abune Luqas, was one of the most senior and most influential hierarchs of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. At the time of his death in November 2026 he was Administrator of the Office of the Patriarch, a member…
Abune Lucas, born Lukas Gebrehiwet Netsere and also written Abune Lukas or Abune Luqas, was one of the most senior and most influential hierarchs of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. At the time of his death in November 2026 he was Administrator of the Office of the Patriarch, a member of the Holy Synod and Archbishop of the Southern Region (Adi-Keih), according to the notice published by Eritrea's Ministry of Information. He was 94.
His early life is only lightly documented in public sources. A church directory maintained by Orthodoxia records that he became associated with the Abune Libanos monastery (Debre Libanos) in southern Eritrea in 1952, the same ancient monastery where his funeral rites are to be held. The same directory lists a birth year of 1936, which does not match the age of 94 given by the Holy Synod, so his exact date of birth has not been made public.
He was consecrated a bishop on 30 April 2004 by Patriarch Abune Antonios, in the first days of Antonios's patriarchate, and was listed as bishop of the Gash-Barka (Lowlands) diocese. Within a few years he had become one of the church's central administrators. From at least the mid 2010s he served as Secretary, later styled General Secretary, of the Holy Synod. In that role he was the public face of the church at national feasts. Eritrea's Ministry of Information reported that he led the prayers and lit the Damera bonfire at the Meskel (Finding of the True Cross) celebrations in Asmara in 2016, 2018 and 2020, and his Easter and Christmas benedictions were broadcast on Eri-TV. At Meskel in 2018 he said the holiday had a unique meaning because it was being celebrated after the peace and friendship accord between Eritrea and Ethiopia. In 2020 he urged the faithful to follow the guidelines issued to contain COVID-19.
He also represented the church abroad. In November 2018 the World Council of Churches hosted an Eritrean Orthodox delegation in Geneva that included Abune Lukas Gebrehiwet Netsere, described by the WCC as acting patriarch and general secretary of the Holy Synod. In March 2026 he represented the Eritrean church at the consecration of the Holy Myron at the Devalokam Catholicate Palace of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in India, according to that church's media.
His career is inseparable from the long crisis around Patriarch Abune Antonios, who was removed from office in 2006 and kept under house arrest after objecting to government interference in church affairs. Christian Solidarity Worldwide and the British Orthodox Church described Bishop Lukas as strongly pro-government and as the figure through whom the state continued to control the church. In July 2019 he was among five bishops who signed a Holy Synod statement accusing Antonios of heresy and stripping him of authority, a move condemned by human rights groups and by the president of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches. Critics also reported that the confined patriarch was living in the servants' quarters of a villa occupied by Bishop Lukas. Supporters inside Eritrea remembered him differently, praising his wisdom, knowledge and problem solving skills.
Abune Lucas died after a period of illness in the night leading into Monday 9 November 2026, in hospital, after receiving treatment inside and outside Eritrea, according to the Holy Synod statement as reported by regional media. His death was announced in Asmara on 9 November. A book of condolences was opened at the Office of the Patriarch on 10 November, prayer services were held at St. Mary's Church in Asmara on Wednesday 11 November, and his funeral will take place on Thursday 12 November at Debre Libanos Monastery. The cause of death beyond illness has not been made public.
Note on titles: the first government announcement and several tributes called him Archbishop of the Central Region, while the updated Ministry of Information notice names him Archbishop of the Southern Region, Adi-Keih. He should not be confused with Abune Lukas of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a different archbishop.
Biography adapted from https://shabait.com/2026/11/09/his-reverend-abune-lucas-passes-away/; https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-hosts-delegation-from-eritrean-orthodox-tewahdo-church; https://britishorthodox.org/6483/renewe.
In their own words
“I have met and spoken with Abona Abune Lukas several times and was always at awe with his authoritative wisdom, knowledge base, communication and problem solving skills. He will be greatly missed by the #Eritrean orthodox church and those who knew him.”
Tribute by Sirak Bahlbi on X, 9 November 2026
“His Reverend Abune Lucas, Administrator of the Office of the Patriarch, Member of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Tewahdo Church, and, Archbishop of the Southern Region, Adi-Keih, has passed away at the age of 94 due to illness.”
Eritrea Ministry of Information (Shabait), 9 November 2026
“The government continued to exercise control of the church through Bishop Lukas, who although consecrated by Abune Antonios, proved strongly pro-government, and had been appointed General Secretary of the Holy Synod.”
The British Orthodox Church, July 2019
“His name should never be mentioned and remembered and those who do will be punished severely.”
From the July 2019 bishops' letter against Patriarch Antonios that Lukas co-signed, as quoted by BBC News
“The attempt to excommunicate Patriarch Antonios entirely lacks legitimacy, as those behind have neither the moral nor the positional authority to issue this pronouncement.”
Mervyn Thomas, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, on the 2019 statement Lukas signed
“Abune Lucas called on the Eritrean people to reinforce unity, mount united efforts for the nation's prosperity and for mutual cooperation among citizens.”
Ministry of Information summary of his Meskel speech, 27 September 2016 (reported speech)
Photos
2Eritrean Orthodox delegation including Abune Lukas Gebrehiwet Netsere with WCC leadership in Geneva, November 2018
Nov 2018 · by People Forever
Abune Lucas, official portrait released with the announcement of his death
by People Forever
From social media
6Posts by Lukas, and posts about them, kept here so they are not lost.