TODAY the Ethiopian Orthodox Church says its final farewell to a pioneer, founder, visionary and champion of African consciousness Dr. Liqe Kihanet Abraham Garnet Cecil Springer.
Springer, aged 89, died on May 26 (Corpus Christi). The funeral service for him is being held at Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Old Golden Grove Road, Arouca.
His son, Zene Amlak Mengist, told Sunday Newsday that from his birth and a young age there were signs that his father was destined for great things.
EARLY YEARS Garnet Cecil Springer was born on July 10, 1926 to parents Guy Springer and Louiser Williams- Springer. In what would have been a surprise to many, he was born with locks that touched his shoulder, teeth and a cord over his eyes.
“Special works are ascribed to person so born, says tradition and his works do testify,” his church stated in a profile.
One of six children, he spent his early years in Freeport Village and attended St Mary’s RC school.
Mengist said that from a young age his father began having visions. At age six he fell into a trance for 20 hours. With an undetectable heartbeat his family believed that he was dead but he eventually awakened.
He told his relatives that he was in a room with white roses and the music “nearer to God”. His church pointed out that even at age 89 he had a sterling memory and could recount every detail of the experience.
His parents were members of the Church of England but they had difficulty getting the young Springer to attend. Mengist said his father would say that any time he went he felt like “his life was coming out”. He would run out of the church and would not remain even though his parents would beat him.
Eventually his mother decided that if he did not want to go they should leave him. At age nine his mother died and Springer had said he knew it would happen. At age 17 he was at shop and heard two men arguing that no one could read the entire Bible without going mad. Springer took this as a challenge and did so in three weeks.
“That changed his whole outlook of life,” Mengist pointed out.
He said that his father visualised the dismantling of the British Empire and the Caribbean islands and African states gaining independence.
Springer, despite objections by his father, gave up on his secondary education and pursuing a career in dentistry to focus on liberation of African people through the scriptures and also through language and culture. His grandfather once tied his father to a tree and threatened to shoot him unless he changed. Springer, however, refused and his father, Mengist’s grandfather, put down his gun and released him, telling him he was “crazy”.
STARTING A MOVEMENT Springer began learning the Niger- Congo language of Yoruba from a Nigerian studying at the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture, now The University of the West Indies.
Around 1944, following an introduction by his aunt, Springer met David Modeste, a chaplain in The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) founded by Jamaican political leader and Pan African proponent Marcus Mosiah Garvey. In early 1945 the two began teaching Yoruba classes in Claxton Bay and also revived the UNIA with the help of Joseph Thomas, who had previously visited Ethiopia.
With the help of Thomas’ daughter in New York, they secured the Charter, which was launched on October 16, 1946, at St Margaret’s Village, Claxton Bay and was unveiled by politician Chanka Maharaj.
They had 16 branches with approximately 3000 members throughout the country.
The church reported that in 1949, disenchantment within the UNIA led Modeste and Springer to leave and form the more spiritual, Universal African Nationalist Pioneering Association (UANPA), and this gave them a vehicle to continue their work.
The church pointed out that Springer and Modeste organised the first emancipation day celebration on August 1, 1947; it would not become an official holiday until 1985. The celebration took the form of a train pilgrimage from Siparia to Rio Claro to Sangre Grande to Princess Building Grounds, Port-of-Spain.
Springer, however, sought a connection to the Church of Ethiopia; Mengist explained his father viewed this as the “mother church”.
Springer contacted Davidson Kwati Arthur (Arthur Mar Lukas) a Nigerian residing in Ghana who was believed to be an Ethiopian Coptic Bishop. Mar Lukas arrived in Trinidad in October 1950.
MEETING EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE The following year Springer made contact with Father Gabre Eyesus Hailu, who was in Rome translating Geez (the liturgical language of the Ethiopian church) and Amharic text (a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia) into Latin and Italian for the Vatican. Mengist said that they were surprised to find out that Hailu was actually a Roman Catholic priest. He pointed out that despite the error his visit boosted the movement and Hailu was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the visit to Ethiopia by Springer and Mar Lukas in 1952 by recommending the pioneers to Emperor Haile Selassie and His Holiness, Abuna Basilios, The Patriarch of Ethiopia.
Mengist said when his father arrived in Ethiopia he felt like a “prodigal son” coming back home to greet his brother sand sisters.
Springer and Mar Lukas met with the Emperor and shared a tenpoint plan which included sending missionaries to Trinidad and Tobago.
After some legal difficulties over sending Ethiopian missionaries to what was still a British colony, Rev Abba Gabre Eyesus Meshesha and Deacon Abera Jembre arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on December 16, 1952. Union pioneer Tubal Uriah ‘Buzz” Butler and members of the Spiritual Baptists faith were on hand to welcome the Ethiopians and the pioneers. There was a procession from the Port of Portof- Spain to Arouca. On February 9, 1956 the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was incorporated in Trinidad and Tobago by an Act of Parliament.
Mengist said his father became an evangelist for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and spread the message to 12 Caribbean countries and helped promote the church in the United States, Canada, London and Germany.
“He loved to preach,” he recalled.
Mengist said because of his father growing up he felt a sense of pride as an African and not a negro or a Trinidadian. “I felt proud of my colour,” he added.
In 1959 Springer was ordained deacon and later in September 1993 was ordained as a Kes (married priest). He had married his wife Merle and fathered three children.
He also became the church’s administrator and archpriest (Lique Kihanet) in charge of Holy Trinity (Kidus Selassie) parish, in Port-of-Spain, positions he held until his death.
Mengist said his father’s death was very sad for the church and he had been a father figure to the youths, encouraging them to get married and stay away from common law arrangements. He also taught them to respect all human beings. Mengist stressed that though his father preached about the injustice of Africans by Europeans and the Church of Rome and he encouraged people to show love and have no hate or prejudice towards them.
Springer was also a director in the Agricultural Development Bank, a member of the cooperative movement, helped organised Grenada’s Expo in 1969, in the 1960s helped broker peace between the government and Rastafarians in Jamaica, was involved in the NGO movement and in 1986 represented this country at the 7th People to People International Worldwide Conference and met former US President Ronald Reagan. He was widely traveled and addressed international audiences. In May 2014 he returned to Ethiopia and he was given an unprecedented opportunity as the only “West Indian”, to address the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) for which he received a standing ovation.
Following this address, Springer received written personal commendations from His Holiness, Abuna Matias, Archbishop of Aksum and Echegue of the See of St Teklehaimanot, the sixth Partiarch of Ethiopia. The correspondence stated inter alia “It was a great pleasure for all of us to meet you and listen to your blessed and kind words, You are truly the son of God who committed your entire life serving the EOTC. You will be remembered by our Holy Church for your relentless efforts to introduce the parish Church of our Holy Church for the first time, decades ago, in Trinidad and Tobago”.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has eight branches in Trinidad and one in Tobago and thousands of members. And that would not have been possible without the vision and efforts of Dr Liqe Kihanet Abraham Garnet Cecil Springer.
His son, Zene Amlak Mengist, told Sunday Newsday that from his birth and a young age there were signs that his father was destined for great things.
EARLY YEARS Garnet Cecil Springer was born on July 10, 1926 to parents Guy Springer and Louiser Williams- Springer. In what would have been a surprise to many, he was born with locks that touched his shoulder, teeth and a cord over his eyes.
“Special works are ascribed to person so born, says tradition and his works do testify,” his church stated in a profile.
One of six children, he spent his early years in Freeport Village and attended St Mary’s RC school.
Mengist said that from a young age his father began having visions. At age six he fell into a trance for 20 hours. With an undetectable heartbeat his family believed that he was dead but he eventually awakened.
He told his relatives that he was in a room with white roses and the music “nearer to God”. His church pointed out that even at age 89 he had a sterling memory and could recount every detail of the experience.
His parents were members of the Church of England but they had difficulty getting the young Springer to attend. Mengist said his father would say that any time he went he felt like “his life was coming out”. He would run out of the church and would not remain even though his parents would beat him.
Eventually his mother decided that if he did not want to go they should leave him. At age nine his mother died and Springer had said he knew it would happen. At age 17 he was at shop and heard two men arguing that no one could read the entire Bible without going mad. Springer took this as a challenge and did so in three weeks.
“That changed his whole outlook of life,” Mengist pointed out.
He said that his father visualised the dismantling of the British Empire and the Caribbean islands and African states gaining independence.
Springer, despite objections by his father, gave up on his secondary education and pursuing a career in dentistry to focus on liberation of African people through the scriptures and also through language and culture. His grandfather once tied his father to a tree and threatened to shoot him unless he changed. Springer, however, refused and his father, Mengist’s grandfather, put down his gun and released him, telling him he was “crazy”.
STARTING A MOVEMENT Springer began learning the Niger- Congo language of Yoruba from a Nigerian studying at the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture, now The University of the West Indies.
Around 1944, following an introduction by his aunt, Springer met David Modeste, a chaplain in The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) founded by Jamaican political leader and Pan African proponent Marcus Mosiah Garvey. In early 1945 the two began teaching Yoruba classes in Claxton Bay and also revived the UNIA with the help of Joseph Thomas, who had previously visited Ethiopia.
With the help of Thomas’ daughter in New York, they secured the Charter, which was launched on October 16, 1946, at St Margaret’s Village, Claxton Bay and was unveiled by politician Chanka Maharaj.
They had 16 branches with approximately 3000 members throughout the country.
The church reported that in 1949, disenchantment within the UNIA led Modeste and Springer to leave and form the more spiritual, Universal African Nationalist Pioneering Association (UANPA), and this gave them a vehicle to continue their work.
The church pointed out that Springer and Modeste organised the first emancipation day celebration on August 1, 1947; it would not become an official holiday until 1985. The celebration took the form of a train pilgrimage from Siparia to Rio Claro to Sangre Grande to Princess Building Grounds, Port-of-Spain.
Springer, however, sought a connection to the Church of Ethiopia; Mengist explained his father viewed this as the “mother church”.
Springer contacted Davidson Kwati Arthur (Arthur Mar Lukas) a Nigerian residing in Ghana who was believed to be an Ethiopian Coptic Bishop. Mar Lukas arrived in Trinidad in October 1950.
MEETING EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE The following year Springer made contact with Father Gabre Eyesus Hailu, who was in Rome translating Geez (the liturgical language of the Ethiopian church) and Amharic text (a Semitic language spoken in Ethiopia) into Latin and Italian for the Vatican. Mengist said that they were surprised to find out that Hailu was actually a Roman Catholic priest. He pointed out that despite the error his visit boosted the movement and Hailu was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the visit to Ethiopia by Springer and Mar Lukas in 1952 by recommending the pioneers to Emperor Haile Selassie and His Holiness, Abuna Basilios, The Patriarch of Ethiopia.
Mengist said when his father arrived in Ethiopia he felt like a “prodigal son” coming back home to greet his brother sand sisters.
Springer and Mar Lukas met with the Emperor and shared a tenpoint plan which included sending missionaries to Trinidad and Tobago.
After some legal difficulties over sending Ethiopian missionaries to what was still a British colony, Rev Abba Gabre Eyesus Meshesha and Deacon Abera Jembre arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on December 16, 1952. Union pioneer Tubal Uriah ‘Buzz” Butler and members of the Spiritual Baptists faith were on hand to welcome the Ethiopians and the pioneers. There was a procession from the Port of Portof- Spain to Arouca. On February 9, 1956 the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was incorporated in Trinidad and Tobago by an Act of Parliament.
Mengist said his father became an evangelist for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and spread the message to 12 Caribbean countries and helped promote the church in the United States, Canada, London and Germany.
“He loved to preach,” he recalled.
Mengist said because of his father growing up he felt a sense of pride as an African and not a negro or a Trinidadian. “I felt proud of my colour,” he added.
In 1959 Springer was ordained deacon and later in September 1993 was ordained as a Kes (married priest). He had married his wife Merle and fathered three children.
He also became the church’s administrator and archpriest (Lique Kihanet) in charge of Holy Trinity (Kidus Selassie) parish, in Port-of-Spain, positions he held until his death.
Mengist said his father’s death was very sad for the church and he had been a father figure to the youths, encouraging them to get married and stay away from common law arrangements. He also taught them to respect all human beings. Mengist stressed that though his father preached about the injustice of Africans by Europeans and the Church of Rome and he encouraged people to show love and have no hate or prejudice towards them.
Springer was also a director in the Agricultural Development Bank, a member of the cooperative movement, helped organised Grenada’s Expo in 1969, in the 1960s helped broker peace between the government and Rastafarians in Jamaica, was involved in the NGO movement and in 1986 represented this country at the 7th People to People International Worldwide Conference and met former US President Ronald Reagan. He was widely traveled and addressed international audiences. In May 2014 he returned to Ethiopia and he was given an unprecedented opportunity as the only “West Indian”, to address the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) for which he received a standing ovation.
Following this address, Springer received written personal commendations from His Holiness, Abuna Matias, Archbishop of Aksum and Echegue of the See of St Teklehaimanot, the sixth Partiarch of Ethiopia. The correspondence stated inter alia “It was a great pleasure for all of us to meet you and listen to your blessed and kind words, You are truly the son of God who committed your entire life serving the EOTC. You will be remembered by our Holy Church for your relentless efforts to introduce the parish Church of our Holy Church for the first time, decades ago, in Trinidad and Tobago”.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has eight branches in Trinidad and one in Tobago and thousands of members. And that would not have been possible without the vision and efforts of Dr Liqe Kihanet Abraham Garnet Cecil Springer.
Source: newsday.co.tt
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