New Eritrean Patriarch Elected as Predecessor Remains Under Arrest 05/18/2021 Eritrea (International Christian Concern) – The government of Eritrea announced last week that Reverend Abune Qerlos has been elected as the fifth Patriarch over the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. The official Eritrean announcement claimed that the election was conducted “in accordance with the norms and regulations of the Holy Synod and the Church.” Rights groups were quick to point out that the Orthodox Tewahdo Church does not allow the election of a new Patriarch while a sitting Patriarch is still alive. Abune Antonios, the third Patriarch, has lived under strict house arrest since 2007 and is reportedly being denied medical care for his severe diabetes. He is being held incommunicado in an undisclosed location and has only been seen publicly on one occasion since his arrest.