Message of His Eminence Cardinal Abune Berhaneyesus, Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Abeba, for the Beginning of Lent 2026

“But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” (Matthew 6:17-18)

Dear Catholic faithful,
All of you in the country and abroad,
And to all people of goodwill,

May the grace of God be with you wherever you are:

As we enter the holy season of Lent in 2026, I extend to you my heartfelt wishes for a peaceful and grace-filled journey. Lent is a sacred time granted by the Church for renewal and conversion, a season to detach ourselves from habitual worldly distractions and return wholeheartedly to God. It is a time to discipline our senses, strengthen our moral conscience, listen attentively to the voice of God, and deepen our communion with Christ.

Lent invites us to contemplate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and to prepare ourselves spiritually for the joy of Easter. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we are called to renew our Christian life even amid a world burdened by conflict, injustice, misinformation, and suffering. This Holy season reminds us that conversion is not merely external observance but an interior transformation of the heart.

Our Lord taught us authentic prayer not only through words but through His life. In teaching us the “Our Father,” He revealed the spirit of filial trust and obedience. “From the Sermon on the Mount onwards, Jesus insists on conversion of heart: reconciliation with one’s brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies, and prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrases, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart, and seeking the Kingdom before all else. This filial conversion is entirely directed to the Father.” (CST 2608)

Let our Lenten prayer draw us closer to Jesus Christ and unite us more intimately with God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. May our prayer extend beyond personal intentions to embrace our neighbors, those suffering from war and displacement, troubled souls, the imprisoned, and all who carry heavy burdens. Let us pray for our leaders to govern with wisdom and integrity, for protection from man-made and natural disasters, and for peace and justice throughout our nation and the entire world.

Lent is a sacred season that calls us to an interior fast, so that our hearts may become attentive to God. The fast to which the Church invites us is not limited to abstinence from food, but extends to abstinence from excess, distraction, and all that distances us from the Lord. By stepping back from excess and distraction, we create space to listen more deeply—to ourselves, to our Creator, and to our fellow human beings. In silence we discover peace; through attentive listening we gain understanding; and through understanding we grow in love. In that love, we encounter Christ Himself, who speaks not in noise but in the stillness of a receptive heart.

In his apostolic exhortation Fratelli tutti, the late Pope Francis reminds us that authentic dialogue begins with attentive listening and with profound respect for the dignity of every human person. Listening is not passive; it is an act of humility and charity. In an age overwhelmed by noise, misinformation, and harsh judgment, we are called to withdraw from the confusion that surrounds us and to walk deliberately along the path of truth, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

A wise person who listens attentively to his or her conscience comes to recognize the gentle voice of God. Therefore, let us cultivate moral vigilance with sincerity, examining our hearts in truth and humility, and allowing ourselves to be purified through repentance and worthy participation in the Holy Eucharist.

To fast as our Church teaches is not merely to abstain from food, but to abstain from sin, from harmful speech, from gossip, and from every action that wounds our neighbor. Such a fast is expressed in concrete acts of charity and mercy, in patience, in forgiveness, and in steadfast respect for the dignity of every human person. This is the fast that renews the soul, strengthens the bonds of communion, and transforms not only the individual believer but the entire community of faith.

Let us pray for peace and justice in our current situation, for our leaders to govern with wisdom, for protection from various man-made and natural disasters, for the imprisoned to receive mercy, and for our faith to endure in these times of fasting and prayer.

Dear beloved Catholics and all Christians,

During this Lent, I urge you to observe the true fast that our Church encourages. This fast calls us to conversion of heart and transformation of life. It means refraining from words that wound our neighbors and guarding our tongues against gossip and judgment. It invites us to practice Christian works of love with sincerity, to uphold and defend the human dignity of every person, and to listen attentively to the Word of God so that we may live according to its truth, and purifying ourselves with true spiritual vigilance through repentance and the Holy Eucharist.

May the intercession of Our Lady, the angels, the martyrs, and all the saints accompany us throughout this sacred season.

+  Cardinal Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel CM
Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Abeba
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia
16^th February 2026