Haile Selassie I was not a nominal Christian patron; he was an active Ethiopian Orthodox monarch who systematically funded, commissioned, restored, and endowed churches throughout his reign, both in Ethiopia and abroad. Key points, plainly stated: • Church building was state policy. As Emperor, Haile Selassie I understood the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as foundational to Ethiopian civilization and governance. Church construction and restoration were integral to his vision of national ren

Haile Selassie I's speech to the UN in 1963

Haile Selassie Address to the United Nations 1963