# Emperor Susenyos and the Catholic Schism That Split Ethiopia

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/emperor-susenyos-and-the-catholic-schism-that-split-ethiopia-2
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/emperor-susenyos-and-the-catholic-schism-that-split-ethiopia-2.md
Podcast: [Ethiopia's Ancient Empire: Africa's Hidden Superpower — Fexingo History](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654)
Published: 2026-07-10T00:44:43+00:00
Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0150.mp3
Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0150.mp3
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Duration seconds: 393

## Resource

In the early 17th century, Emperor Susenyos I made a decision that nearly tore the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church apart: he converted to Catholicism under the influence of Portuguese Jesuit missionaries. This episode explores the political and theological crisis that followed — the Council of Derssanie in 1626, the backlash from the clergy and nobility, the martyrdom of Abuna Amda Maryam, and Susenyos's eventual abdication in favor of his son Fasilides, who expelled the Jesuits and restored the traditional faith. We also look at the broader context: the arrival of the Jesuit mission under Pedro Páez, the construction of the first Catholic church in Gondar, and the legacy of this episode in Ethiopian religious identity. The story raises questions about sovereignty, cultural integrity, and the cost of religious change. #Ethiopia #Susenyos #Jesuits #CouncilOfDerssanie #PedroPaez #Fasilides #Gondar #Tewahedo #CatholicMission #EthiopianHistory #17thCentury #ReligiousConflict #AddisAbaba #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica #PortugueseEmpire #AfricanHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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