In a video privately recorded by Dennis Wadley, international director, of Bridges of Hope, His Holiness Abune Mathias I, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), sent out a message to millions of the Church's followers both "inside and outside the country" that he has "repeatedly tried" to plea to put a stop in to "what's happening in Ethiopia today, especially the barbarism taking place in Tigray," but has not been successful because "a permission was not granted."
