Lisane-Christos Matheos Semahun

Lisane-Christos Matheos Semahun (born 19 December 1959) is an Ethiopian Catholic hierarch, who has served as the first bishop of the Eparchy of Bahir Dar–Dessie since its establishment in 2015. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archeparchy of Addis Ababa and titular bishop of Mathara in Numidia from 2010 to 2015.

Early life and education Lisane-Christos Matheos Semahun was born on 19 December 1959 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. After completing his initial seminary formation in his home country, he was sent to Rome for advanced ecclesiastical studies. He attended the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), where he specialized in Spiritual theology, eventually earning a licentiate.

Priesthood He was ordained a priest for the Archeparchy of Addis Ababa on 8 May 1988. He served as eparchial chaplain for youth, pastoral coordinator of the archieparchy, and general secretary of the archieparchy's Catholic secretariat. Later he served as protosyncellus of the same archieparchy.

Pastoral work His tenure has been marked by significant humanitarian challenges due to regional instability and conflict in northern Ethiopia. He has been a prominent voice in advocating for internally displaced persons (IDPs) within his eparchy, coordinating solidarity efforts and providing spiritual and material support to those affected by violence. In various pastoral letters, he has highlighted the resilience of the local Catholic community amidst the scarcity of resources and the ongoing need for international assistance to maintain schools and health centers.