Aboune Paulos I became the 5th patriarch of the Patriarchate of Addis Ababa and of all Ethiopia in 1992. This is after the patriarchates of Aboune Theophilus I (1971–1979) (deposed in a non-canonical way in 1976, sent to prison and murdered in prison in 1979), Aboune Thecla Hemanote I (1976–1988) (who was elected in a non-canonical manner by pressure of the then Communist government to replace his predecessor) and Abouna Mercurios I (1988–1991), (who resigned under pressure, due to the accusation of collaborating with the (Dereg) Menghistu Communist Regime, and who is now living in self-exile in Kenya).