Of pious memory is Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia,
who bore the weight of earthly rule amid trial and upheaval,
and stood as a son of the ancient Church of Ethiopia in days of testing.
Raised within a land hallowed by apostolic memory,
He labored to preserve the dignity of his people
and the inheritance of faith entrusted to him.
In seasons of peace and in the hour of exile,
He did not abandon his nation,
but carried its grief before the councils of the world,
speaking for the voiceless and the oppressed.
The crown he wore was not without thorns.
The years of his reign were marked by conflict, loss, and judgment,
Yet he remained steadfast in his confession of Christ,
bearing responsibility with fear of God
and endurance befitting the narrow path of those set over many.
He knew the impermanence of earthly glory
and the frailty of human authority,
For all flesh is grass, and the splendor of this world fades.
Yet the works of a man are weighed not by the praise of men,
But by the mercy of God, who alone searches the hearts.
Therefore, with humility, the Church remembers
the departed servant of God, Haile Selassie,
entrusting his soul to the compassion of the Lord,
who desires not the death of a sinner,
But that all should turn and live.
May the Lord grant him rest among the righteous,
Forgive every transgression, voluntary and involuntary,
and establish his memory in peace.
