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| Ethiopian church patriarch Abune Paulos 'dies' | Ethiopian church patriarch Abune Paulos 'dies' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Paulos, has died aged 76, an official has told the BBC. | The head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Paulos, has died aged 76, an official has told the BBC. |
| The news was confirmed by Mulugeta Aserate Kassa, an adviser at the Ethiopian embassy in London. | |
| He suffered a heart attack, according to opposition website Ethiopian Review. | He suffered a heart attack, according to opposition website Ethiopian Review. |
| No funeral details have been released, but Abune Paulos is expected to receive a state funeral. About half of Ethiopia's population are estimated to be Orthodox Christians. | No funeral details have been released, but Abune Paulos is expected to receive a state funeral. About half of Ethiopia's population are estimated to be Orthodox Christians. |
| Mr Mulugeta said the patriarch was "very healthy" on Wednesday, when he led a service in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. | Mr Mulugeta said the patriarch was "very healthy" on Wednesday, when he led a service in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. |
| He later fell ill and was rushed to hospital, Mr Mulugeta said. | He later fell ill and was rushed to hospital, Mr Mulugeta said. |
| The patriarch died early on Thursday morning, he added. | The patriarch died early on Thursday morning, he added. |
| Mr Mulugeta said he could not confirm the cause of death, but the patriarch had suffered from hypertension and diabetes. | Mr Mulugeta said he could not confirm the cause of death, but the patriarch had suffered from hypertension and diabetes. |
| Abune Paulos was chosen to lead the church in 1992 - a year after the overthrow of the communist government of Mengistu Haile Mariam. | |
| He was exiled in the US during Mengistu's rule. | |
| His critics accused him of being close to current Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who is also ill. | |
| Abune Paulos was the first person from the Tigray ethnic group - one of the largest in Ethiopia - to head the country's Orthodox Church, Mr Mulugeta said. |