Arerti Maryam Church collapse

On 1 October 2025, the scaffolding of Arerti Mariyam Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Arerti District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia collapsed during its construction, killing at least 36 people and injuring over 200 others.^[1][2]

Arerti Maryam Church collapse

Date	1 October 2025; 26 days ago (2025-10-01)
Time	7:45 a.m. EAT (UTC+03:00)
Venue	Arerti Maryam Church
Location	Arerti District, Minjar Shenkora, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Coordinates	8.930°N 39.426°E / 8.930; 39.426
Type	Building collapse
Participants	236+
Outcome	Damage to the church
Deaths	36+
Non-fatal injuries	200+
Missing	Some
Property damage	Scaffolding collapsed

Incident

At 7:45 a.m. the scaffolding of the church collapsed. The accident happened during a pilgrimage to mark the Virgin Mary's anniversary. 1 October in the Orthodox Church is Intercession of the Theotokos, a Marian feast.^{[citation needed]}

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that people were climbing up the scaffolding inside the church to admire a newly completed mural on the ceiling.^[2]

Ahmed Gebeyehu, Minjar District Police Commander told the death toll was increasing as many victims were transported to hospital.^[1]

Speaking before the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, local official Atnafu Abate stated some victims remained under rubble.^[3]