Roman Catholic Cardinal. Addifini born Paulos Tzadua entered seminary in Cheren, later frequenting the Italian lyceum Ferdinando Martini of Asmara and before heading to Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, earning a doctorate in law. Ordained priest on March 12, 1944, he performed ministry in Asmara and Guarghe before moving to Eritrea, where he taught at the minor seminary between 1949 and 1953. Secretary to the bishop of Asmara and to the archbishop of Addis Abeba, he acted as secretary general of the Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia back in Addis Abeba, in which city he served as a lecturer at the local university from 1961 until 1973. Elected bishop of the titular see of Abila di Palestina and appointed auxiliary of Addis Abeba on March 1, 1973, he received his episcopal consecration on the following May 20. Elected president of the Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia in 1974, he was promoted to the metropolitan archeparchy of Addis Abeba on February 24, 1977. Pope John Paul II created him cardinal priest in the consistory of May 25, 1985 with the title of SS. Nome di Maria a Via Latina, becoming thus the first Ethiopian Cardinal. Resigning from the pastoral government of his see, Tzadua died on December 11, 2003 in the morning in Rome. His body was flown back to his native Ethiopia and buried in Saints Peter and Paul's Catholic Cemetery in Addis Abeba on Sunday, December 21.
Roman Catholic Cardinal. Addifini born Paulos Tzadua entered seminary in Cheren, later frequenting the Italian lyceum Ferdinando Martini of Asmara and before heading to Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, earning a doctorate in law. Ordained priest on March 12, 1944, he performed ministry in Asmara and Guarghe before moving to Eritrea, where he taught at the minor seminary between 1949 and 1953. Secretary to the bishop of Asmara and to the archbishop of Addis Abeba, he acted as secretary general of the Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia back in Addis Abeba, in which city he served as a lecturer at the local university from 1961 until 1973. Elected bishop of the titular see of Abila di Palestina and appointed auxiliary of Addis Abeba on March 1, 1973, he received his episcopal consecration on the following May 20. Elected president of the Episcopal Conference of Ethiopia in 1974, he was promoted to the metropolitan archeparchy of Addis Abeba on February 24, 1977. Pope John Paul II created him cardinal priest in the consistory of May 25, 1985 with the title of SS. Nome di Maria a Via Latina, becoming thus the first Ethiopian Cardinal. Resigning from the pastoral government of his see, Tzadua died on December 11, 2003 in the morning in Rome. His body was flown back to his native Ethiopia and buried in Saints Peter and Paul's Catholic Cemetery in Addis Abeba on Sunday, December 21.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
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