Seventeen Ethiopian manuscripts have been formally returned to Ethiopia from the United States in a landmark moment for the country’s cultural and religious heritage. Among them is a substantial manuscript of Miracles of Mary, a sacred text recognised as having been stolen from the church that owned it.
The manuscripts were received by the Ethiopian Heritage Authority and distributed to Ethiopian institutions, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Patriarchate and the National Archives and Library of Ethiopia. Their return restores these works to the country and communities whose history and faith they embody.
Written primarily in Geʿez, Ethiopia’s historic language of worship and scholarship, manuscripts such as these are far more than rare or beautiful objects. They carry generations of theological learning, devotion and artistic tradition. They are also primary sources for understanding Ethiopian church history, language and the development of Christian thought in the region.
Returning them matters because it brings this heritage closer to the churches, scholars and communities for whom it holds particular meaning. It can support Ethiopian-led research and teaching, and enable local institutions to care for and interpret the manuscripts. In the case of Miracles of Mary, the manuscript’s church ownership was confirmed through an inscription and earlier photographic documentation—an important reminder of the value of careful provenance research in addressing the loss of cultural heritage. The repatriation took place in the presence of Leul Ras Mengesha Seyoum aged 99 (picture), who inherited his father’s legacy in representing the Tigrean Royal House of Yohannes IV. One of the manuscripts includes his genealogy.
Dr Ralph Lee, Director of the Oxford Research Institute for Mission and Innovation (ORIMI), and Rev. Dr Calum Samuelson, a researcher working with him, took part in the delegation as members of both OCMS and Sankt Ignatios College (Stockholm School of Eastern Christian Studies) in Sweden. During the week of events in Addis Ababa and elsewhere, they gave presentations alongside other specialists in manuscript studies, digitisation and digital humanities. Their discussions included how Ethiopic manuscripts might be made more accessible and cared for ethically in the future.
Their contribution connects with the work Ralph and Calum undertake with OCMS on the Ethiopian Orthodox research project, part of ORIMI. The project brings scholars and partners together to study Ethiopian Orthodox traditions and theology, including the qǝne tradition. While the returned manuscripts are not being presented as outputs of that project, their homecoming speaks to a shared commitment: research should take seriously the knowledge, custodianship and scholarly leadership of the communities whose traditions are being studied.
For OCMS, this is also a moment to recognise the importance of collaboration across institutions and countries. Scholarship can help deepen understanding of Ethiopia’s rich Christian heritage, while careful partnerships can support the stewardship of that heritage and widen access to it. The return of these 17 manuscripts is a powerful example of what can happen when historical expertise, institutional cooperation and a commitment to restitution come together.
We congratulate all those who worked over many years to make the return possible, and are pleased that Ralph and Calum were able to contribute to this historic week.
Read the full story from Sankt Ignatios: Sankt Ignatios scholars take part in historic repatriation of 17 manuscripts to Ethiopia.
