Struggle for Survival: St. Mikaʼél Church and the Orthodox Laity of Jijiga in the Course of the Ethio-Somalia Wars in the 1960s and 1970s

Abstract

This article examines the history of St. Mikaʼél Church and the Orthodox Laity of Jijiga in the course of the Ethio-Somalia Wars in the 1960s and 1970s. It establishes that Christianity first began to spread in Jijiga and the surrounding area, which is predominantly inhabited by followers of the Islamic faith, following the expansionist campaigns of Nigus Menelik II since the late 19th century. Christian dignitaries provided significant support, which helped it expand and solidify its position. The faith has been tested in many ways since its inception, but during the invasion of Somalia in the 1960s and 1970s, Jijiga Christians and the church fell into great trouble. The invaders considered the EOC as a powerful bulwark of the state and worked hard to destroy the institution and harass its followers. This article emphasizes the internal political situations and external factors that played a role in the alternation of growth and debacle of Christianity in Jijiga. It argues that at the end of the 19th century, the expansion of the highland Christian kingdom to the east made a positive contribution to the creation of new Christian settlements, the introduction of Orthodox Christianity, and the expansion of churches in Jijiga and its neighboring regions. However, the presence of strong followers of Islam and repeated attacks by internal and external armed forces on the Christians made Orthodox Christianity the religion of the minority, and Christians were also forced to live under high security threats.