Prostrating Like Muslims? The Tewahedo Answer from History
What the video says
The video explains that Scripture prescribes a physical, embodied style of prayer—involving standing, kneeling, bowing, prostrating, and facing sacred locations—which the Orthodox Church has preserved for thousands of years. It cites Psalm 99:5 on worshipping toward the Temple and Psalm 95 on kneeling before the Lord, and traces these practices to the first century through the Didache, which instructs praying facing east and prostrating on specific days.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is highlighted as especially preserving these traditions, such as thousands of prostrations during the Good Friday service and standing during the Divine Liturgy out of reverence for the Body and Blood of Christ—many Ethiopian churches have no pews, which are called a modern innovation. Viewers interested in praying the biblical way are invited to come to the Orthodox Church to learn these preserved traditions.
Key moments
- An ancient, scriptural style of prayer involving standing, kneeling, bowing, prostrating, and facing sacred locations has been preserved for thousands of years.
- Psalm 99:5 speaks of worshipping toward the Temple, and Psalm 95 speaks of kneeling before the Lord.
- These practices are traceable to the first century through the Didache, which instructs praying facing east, prostrating on specific days, and praying in a physical manner.
- The Ethiopian Orthodox Church particularly preserves prostrations, exemplified by prostrating thousands of times during the Good Friday service to commemorate the Passion of the Lord.
- Ethiopian churches pray facing the altar and the church, and typically have no pews—a modern innovation—standing during the Divine Liturgy out of reverence for the Body and Blood of Christ.
- These Orthodox practices predate religions people commonly associate with standing and kneeling, and viewers are invited to learn this biblical way of prayer in the Orthodox Church.
This post, framed as Season 1, Episode 6 of a series, addresses a common internet claim that Eritrean and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Christians pray "like Muslims" because of their physical prostrations. The author argues that the practice of Segdet/Sigdet (full-body prostration) and the use of the Mekwamiya (traditional prayer staff) predate the birth of Islam by more than three centuries, so any resemblance reflects the priority of Christian practice rather than borrowing.
The post grounds Tewahedo worship in Scripture and early tradition: Jesus prostrating in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39), the commands to bow and kneel in Psalms 95 and 99, Genesis 17:3, and Revelation 4:10. It describes distinctive practices such as praying seven times a day based on Psalm 119:164, performing hundreds or even a thousand prostrations on Good Friday, exchanging bows of peace at the deacon's command "Tseleyu bente selam," and praying facing east, the altar, and the walls of the church.
The accompanying video adds that these embodied forms of prayer—standing, kneeling, bowing, and facing sacred directions—trace to the first century through the Didache, which instructs prayer facing east and prostration on certain days. It highlights that Ethiopian churches typically have no pews, considered a modern innovation, with worshippers standing throughout the Divine Liturgy out of reverence for the Body and Blood of Christ.
The post contrasts this continuity with debates elsewhere in Christianity over pews and liturgical practice, and claims Protestants decline to pray in the physical manner Jesus himself used. It closes by pointing to Deacon Mihret's podcast for further discussion and invites readers to visit an Ethiopian Orthodox church in Corona, California, to experience these preserved traditions firsthand.
The overall thrust is apologetic and educational: Tewahedo physical worship is presented as the direct continuation of Apostolic and biblical prayer, not an imitation of Islam.
Main points
- Tewahedo prostration (Sigdet) and the prayer staff (Mekwamiya) predate Islam by over 300 years, countering claims of imitation.
- Scriptural basis cited: Matthew 26:39, Psalm 95:6, Psalm 99:5, Genesis 17:3, Revelation 4:10, and seven daily prayers from Psalm 119:164.
- The Didache (first century) already instructs praying facing east and prostrating on specific days.
- Good Friday services include hundreds to a thousand prostrations; worshippers stand through the Liturgy, as most Ethiopian churches have no pews.
- Bows of peace are exchanged at the deacon's command "Tseleyu bente selam" (Pray for the peace).