Abune Dioskoros Cleric
Abune Dioskoros (born 1935) is the fourth Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, appointed in April 2007. This was possible because the regime in Eritrea changed the churchly rules for the appointment, so that the Holy Synod of the church could assign the layman to be the new Patriarch.The removal of Abune Antonios, the former legal Patriarch, at the behest of the Eritrean government was denounced by Pope Shenouda III of all African Coptic Orthodox Churches and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church who have refused to recognize Abune Dioskoros as legitimate Patriarch of Eritrea.So do several Eritrean churches particularly in the diaspora and continue to endorse his predecessor. The former Patriarch Abune Antonios (born 1927), who was removed from the post after having criticized the Eritrean government for interference in church affairs, is gated by the regime in Eritrea since 2005.