America's Meb Keflezighi Wins An Emotional Boston Marathon

NPR ^ | 21 April 2014 | Bill Chappell

[who knows what evil?]

We are all Bostonians today!

Never! Death before dishonor!

[who knows what evil?]

It was an emotional scene...

That's a phrase I have heard at least 10,000 times over the past 48 hours...

[mn-bush-man]

Why would he?

You should read his story. It’s incredible.

[Gay State Conservative]

The Marathon passes within 100 yards of my doorstep and,as usual,I went out to watch...as do thousands of others.I saw him,and the other "elite men" pass,which was exciting.I and several of my neighbors hung around for about 90 minutes after they passed to cheer runners on.Lots and lots of amputees were running...they all got a big cheer.A half dozen blind people (with "guides" running with them) went by.Big cheers for them as well.Runners from just about every nation on earth (they wore shirts with their nationality on them).And about a dozen or so Marines,a half dozen Navy and one Army runner went by.They all got big cheers...from me,at least.

On a more serious note...National Guard MPs have always been stationed along the route but this year I noticed they were carrying sidearms.I talked to a group of them and said "in the nine years I've lived here I've never seen you guys with sidearms".A Staff Sergent replied "this is the first time in history that we have".

[Gay State Conservative]

We are all Bostonians today! Never! Death before dishonor!

So just because it was Boston you're OK with what those 9th Century knuckledraggers did last year??? Geeze Louise!

[Gay State Conservative]

Meb Keflezighi is an Orthodox Christian! I saw him cross himself after winning the Marathon on a YouTube, and read a Twitter post from him that said he celebrated Orthodox Pascha.

A few years ago I stumbled upon an article that said that something like a third of Ethiopians are Christians.Being in Africa,and so close to Saudi Arabia,I was stunned to see this.I know there are a good number of Christians in central Africa,thanks to French and Belgian colonization but they're found in Ethiopia too.

[who knows what evil?]

So just because it was Boston you're OK with what those 9th Century knuckledraggers did last year??? Geeze Louise!

Where did I say that? I said I am NOT a 'Bostonian' (in spirit or whatever)...today, or any other day.

[Gay State Conservative]

On 9/11 I was a New Yorker.On the anniversary of 9/11 I'm a New Yorker.But I wouldn't give you a warm bucket of spit for the city on any other day.But I guess your mind works differently.

[who knows what evil?]

But I guess your mind works differently.

Evidently.

[Mears]

I learned where Eritrea is located in the book”Cutting for Stone”

‘

[NorthMountain]

Personal information
Born May 5, 1975 (age 38)

Old Farts Rule!

[Straight Vermonter]

A few years ago I stumbled upon an article that said that something like a third of Ethiopians are Christians.

It's actually about two thirds. They are fiercely proud of being the home of the Ark of the Covenant.

[Honorary Serb]

First of all, Eritrea (where Meb Keflezighi hailed from) became independent from Ethiopia in 1993, after a long war. But Eritrea is culturally very closely related to Ethiopia.

When Meb was born, Eritrea was part of Ethiopia, under the horrific communist Derg dictatorship. Since he left Eritrea with his family when he was 12 years old (in 1987), he never resided in an independent Eritrea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meb_Keflezighi

Both Ethiopia and Eritrea are majority Christian, but with a large and growing muslim population. The traditional Ethiopian Church is the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, from which the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church split and received autocephaly with Eritrean independence in 1993.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean_Orthodox_Tewahedo_Church

Both of these “Tewahedo” (”One Nature” of Christ) churches are not in communion with the Eastern Orthodox Churches, bring considered “Non-Chalcedonian” and “monophysite”. They are often called Oriental Orthodox Churches. However, there are some moves to try to reunite the two families of Churches.

https://www.svots.edu/content/beyond-dialogue-quest-eastern-and-oriental-orthodox-unity-today

In the United States, immigrants from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, etc. especially those who cannot find or easily attend an Oriental Orthodox Church of their nationality, or who no longer understand their languages, often may be received into an Eastern Orthodox Church (e.g., Orthodox Church in America, Greek, Serbian, Antiochian, etc.)

I therefore do not know whether Meb is a Eastern Orthodox or a Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Christian. But he is an Orthodox Christian either way.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Learn something everyday, thank you.

[infowarrior]

A few years ago I stumbled upon an article that said that something like a third of Ethiopians are Christians.Being in Africa,and so close to Saudi Arabia,I was stunned to see this.I know there are a good number of Christians in central Africa,thanks to French and Belgian colonization but they're found in Ethiopia too.

They were there, and Christian, long before the French, British, and Belgians came to Sub Saharan Africa...

the infowarrior

[lightman]

What a truly awesome accomplishment at the end of the Great Fast!

[Fred Hayek]

A lot of them were forced out of Ethiopia because they are orthodox christian (typically)

Was that during the Haile Mengistu regime? Mengistu was a Soviet client.

[Fred Hayek]

The history of Christianity in Ethiopia goes back about 1500 years.