Ras Tafari Makonnen:
His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie
23 July 1892 - 27 August 1975

His imperial majesty Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia is respected the world over as a courageous and wise man and a champion of human rights. He was also a devout Christian of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and a devoted husband and father.

His given name was Tafari (or Teferi), meaning "fearsome." Makonnen is a patronym from his father. As a member of the titled nobility, Tafari was called Lij as a child. As he grew older, he grew in rank until he became a Ras ("head," related to other indoeuropean words like raj, rex, and rosh), the highest noble rank of Ethiopia, roughly equivalent to a duke or prince. He ascended the imperial throne of Ethiopia in 1930 with the consent of a council of princes.

As Emperor of Ethiopia, Selassie's full, traditional title was "His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, King of Kings of Ethiopia." A historical legend elaborated in the Kebra Negast tells us the imperial family of Ethiopia is descended from King Solomon of Israel and Queen Makeda of Sheba (c.f. 1Kings 10:1-13). According to the Ethiopian imperial family, the recorded lineage of the Solomonic dynasty dates from 1268.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church also gave his imperial majesty the titles "Defender of the Faith" and "Light of the World" in honor of his Christian zeal. Throughout his long reign he strove to reconcile Christians and to promote Christianity around the world. For this reason, the enemy besieged him with difficulties and temptations, and sought to drive him from his imperial throne. By faith His Majesty triumphed over the enemy through the strength of the Lord, which is signified by his coronation name Haile Selassie ("Might of the Trinity").

In 1974, Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by the Marxist dictator Haile Meriam Mengistu during a coup. He was imprisoned in his palace by soldiers of the new and oppressive regime and died a year later. While the circumstances of his death were mysterious in 1975, recent evidence reveals that he was probably tortured and murdered by his captors. A communist government cannot allow a Christian monarch to live. In 1992, after the Marxist government was overthrown, the remains of Emperor Haile Selassie were found buried in a makeshift grave in the Imperial Palace.

Blessed Repose!

On November 5, 2000, the anniversary of his coronation, his imperial majesty Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia was finally laid to rest in Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral in Addis Ababa. Princess Tenagne Worq, his only surviving child, and several of his grandchildren attended the funeral.

Eternal Memory!

It would seem to many that his death, which robbed his imperial majesty of both his throne and his life, was a terrible defeat. But through his faithful martyrdom Emperor Haile Selassie won a glorious victory not of this world. The righteous emperor laid down his life for the defense of ancient Christianity. He thus became a passion-bearer for Y'shua HaMashiach. He lives transfigured and deified in Y'shua HaMashiach, his Lord and Creator, with all the holy ones in the uncreated Light of Jah. In Y'shua the Risen King of Kings, his imperial majesty Selassie will rise from death by the power of Jah Holy Spirit on the Last Day.

Even now, Ras Tafari, Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, intercedes before the eternal throne of Jah holy Trinity for all the suffering poor of the world, so that we might also live in the uncreated Light with him. There is no one he will refuse to help, by the power of Y'shua's Holy Spirit, and he will withhold nothing of himself to be a gift to us.

Is Selassie Divine?

Some - but not all - Rastas seem to believe that his imperial majesty Haile Selassie I is Jah. His imperial majesty denied being Jah many times, and clearly called Y'shua HaMashiach "our blameless Creator," "Supreme Lord of all," and "our Savior."

Christians may legitimately recognize the "divinity" of imperial martyr Haile Selassie if it is understood correctly. For Christians, the goal of life is theosis or divinization in Y'shua HaMashiach. Only Jah Father, Y'shua Jah Son, and Jah Holy Spirit are divine by nature, and Selassie is none of these. Selassie is not Jah, not divine by nature. But his imperial majesty is divine by grace, though not by nature, because he lives in Y'shua.

Twelve Tribes of Israel Rastas, the largest group of Rastas in the world, do not believe Selassie is Jah. They regard the Emperor as "the 225th restorer of the Solomonic Dynasty," a true Davidic king who "represents the Father and His Christ." Selassie is, for Twelve Tribesmen, an ikon of Y'shua. Y'shua's kingly character "has been revealed to us the Rastafarian brethren and sisters of the Twelve Tribes of Israel through the personality of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I." Selassie and Y'shua are not the same person, and of the two only Y'shua is Jah. When Twelve Tribesmen speak of the divinity of Selassie, they mean a secondary divinity by participation in Y'shua. This view is compatible with orthodox roots Christianity.

His imperial highness Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie and his imperial highness Prince Bekere Fikre Selassie made a statement "On the Occasion of the Month Long Celebration of Bob Marley�s 60th Birthday" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The statement, published 10 February 2005, included this passage: "In the spirit of true unity advocated by Bob Marley, it is also our responsibility to remind our Rastafarian brothers and sisters that Emperor Haile Selassie, who was a devout Christian, has never claimed to be a deity. In fact, the Emperor was responsible for establishing the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the Caribbean." True followers of his imperial majesty Haile Selassie I do not claim he is Jah, but forward in the living tradition of roots Christianity.

Read the testimony of his imperial majesty Haile Selassie I to the living tradition of roots Christianity here.

Passion-bearing emperor, Haile Selassie, martyr for the true faith of Krystos, please pray for us sinners before the eternal Throne of the most Holy Trinity! May we come to live with you in the glorious uncreated Light of the + Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.