European Missionaries in Ethiopia

In 1540, threatened by Muslim expansion, Ethiopia appealed for assistance from other Christian nations, and the Portuguese came to their aid. Up until this time, Europe had had very little contact with the Ethiopians. Occasional delegations of Ethiopians reached Italy and other parts of Europe. The appeal for aid answered by the Portuguese changed many things. Now Europe was to discover Ethiopia at the same time that Europeans were also becoming aware of an entirely new pair of continents in the western hemisphere. The European countries were competing for new conquests and trading stations on which to build increasing amounts of wealth. Ethiopia was looked upon more as an opportunity than a charitable cause. Along with Portuguese soldiers and ships came representatives of the Church in Rome. In 1542, Jesuit missionaries began working to persuade the Ethiopians to accept the Pope in Rome as the leader of their Church.

The printing of such books as the Evangelium were meant specifically for this missionary effort. Although the Ethiopians never consented to submit to the Roman Church, they clearly did adopt some of its imagery.

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