Travel information on Security & Safety for visitors in Ethiopia

Category Archives: Tabot

A Biblical Land – opening up again

Old Ethiopian image of the Queen of Sheba mounted and armed

The Queen of Sheba on horseback

As Ethiopia begins to open up after two years of restrictions on travel at first due to COVID 19 and then due to a spreading conflict, it maybe time to ponder what makes Ethiopia a unique travel destination and magical place to visit, and to start looking at the you can visit.

Ethiopia – a Biblical Land!

Statue of Emperor Tewedros in Gondar

Statue of Emperor Tewedros

Ethiopia conjures up many images in the mind of the would be traveller.  Images that come from characters from  Ethiopia’s rich history of Emperors, of the Queen of Sheba and of the mysterious Prester John; also geographical images: of the River Nile, the Rift Valley, of high mountains and deep gorges and hot deserts; and this mixed in with images from the 70’s & 80’s of famines and wars. Added to these are more recent images, perhaps garnered from TV documentaries that show the unique wildlife of the Ethiopian highlands:

 

Geladas on the escarpments

Male Gelada baboons running by the escarpment

Gelada Baboons (or monkeys as scientists now like to call them) scrambling around on precipitous cliffs flashing their crimson gums and eye lids; and the Ethiopian wolf – the world’s rarest in the dog family, interacting with touching tenderness with their pack as they eke out their lives in the Afro-alpine moorlands.

Ethiopian Wolves in Bale (Photo Martin Harvey)

Many have used the term ‘Biblical’ to describe what they see in Ethiopia, maybe inspired by the immense landscape, or the people often wrapped in cotton shawls (gabis), or by herds of cattle, camels, sheep and or goats roaming the open land.  You certainly sense the huge and ancient human and physical landscape that both stretches away in front of you and goes back into the mists of time.

Sebreatsemu Giyorgis in Lalibela - tabots return to the church

Tabots return to Giyorgis church Lalibela

For me however it is more about how the Orthodox Christian highlands are so focused on the church, the saints days and holidays and the scriptures – all of which are referred to as the Bible. The Church calendar dictates the days you can plough, thresh and harvest, and the days you can’t. There are the days to gather round the church and members of the community compete to be the one responsible for providing the locally brewed beer.  Weddings are set according to this calendar too. Churches are often built on top of cliffs,

Zuramba church in Gayint

Zuramba church, built on top of a volcanic plug

surrounded by unspoiled forest giving you an idea of how wooded the landscape could have been a thousand years ago. Around the older established churches – monasteries – are clusters of huts where students learning the age old chants also learn the texts and debate their meaning.  Some of these monasteries have older students who become specialists in the subjects taught at that location.

Priest holds bible - Mariam Buzuhan

Priest displays a bible

These same churches are home to ancient Bibles and religious scriptures, some far older than anything emanating from Europe. Scholars seek to study these texts to see some of the earliest Christian writings.  Some, like the book of Enoch, are not found in the west and yet illuminate the early thinking of the church. Along with these ancient texts are beautiful processional crosses and other treasures that can take your breath away if you are fortunate enough to be shown them.

Visitors travelling through Ethiopia will generally only scratch the surface of this biblical land. But the experiences, visual as well as audible, will leave an indelible mark on them, often ensuring that these visitors return again to see more. Whether they see a church on an Amba (flat mountain top), or a Tabot processing through town or country side, or bands of

Tabots & incense at Senay Mikael festival

pilgrims heading to a special celebration, they will sense something very ‘other’ about Ethiopia. It is something that at once brings echos that resonate with the traveller’s generational past, a time when his/her forebears lives went in a rhythm with the church, and lived intimately with crops and livestock interwoven into their lives. A time before mechanisation and a time when life was lived as a community.  In this way travelling in Ethiopia, particularly into the countryside,  is also a travel through a time warp, giving a sense of what the modern world has lost in its rapid advances over the last few centuries. Something about this touches the soul of the traveler to Ethiopia and lights up a place inside that was hidden.

Each week now, more countries around the world are dropping all COVID related travel requirements. For travel to Ethiopia there is only a requirement for a negative PCR test taken within 5 days of arrival in Addis. For re-entry to most of the rest of the word there maybe a PCR test required, but only for unvaccinated travellers.

In addition the UK Government’s travel advice has moved to put much of the country in green (OK to travel).  With the conflict having become much reduced and the Ethiopian parliament recently repealing the national State of Emergency, it is anticipated that places such as Gondar and Lalibela (which are now open for business) will move from Amber to Green listing in the coming weeks.

Ethiopia badly needs tourism to restart. Two years without income has bought most individuals that have relied on tourism for their livelihood local economy to their knees. Its not just guides and hotel workers, but all the others whose their sell goods and services to the tourism industry. Ethiopia so looks forward to welcoming visitors back in the coming months. Contact us at Tesfa Tours to make suggestions based upon your preferences

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‘Je m’appelle Demissie!’

Revisiting Lalibela and the North

Sebtretsemu Giyorgis festival Lalibela

Giyorgis church for festival in Lalibela

As I head back to Addis after four days travelling in Amhara region, I’m struck by how normal things are, yet Ethiopia is far from normal as we get caught up in processions to celebrate the Ascension of St Mary. It is the wonderful abnormalities that make Ethiopia so fascinating and beautiful.

In four days I’ve visited remote monasteries to be told that in actual fact the Ark of Covenant lies beneath its ancient stone floor, and carries a fearsome power that killed the only person who attempted to uncover it; I’ve seen the sacred

Giyorgis Tabot camps out near Yadukulay Guesthouse

tabots, the holy heart of the church, camping out in fields surrounded by brocaded umbrellas and chanting; we’ve been generously hosted in people’s houses with plates of enjara, spicy sauces, curds, local beer etc, I’ve visited people who have endured the horrors of war and yet emerged smiling and happy to have foreign guests.

As we drove in and out from Lalibela numerous times this week, we became well known at the checkpoints and were always ushered through with a broad smile, but I will remember one soldier most: each time we passed he called out: “Bonjour. Ça va?” And today he greeted us with: “Je m’appelle Demisie”.

Community guesthouse at Boya, some damage

Community guesthouse at Boya, some damage


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Wherever you go Ethiopia is full of surprises which give you many reasons to smile, and remind me why I love this country so much.

The big news from this recce trip is that the communities in Meket and the neighbouring areas are eager to host tourists again. Yes they have faced hardships, and many guesthouses have had materials looted by TPLF or damaged, but they were so happy to see me after this time. I was greeted with

Villagers from Wajela guesthouse want tourists back

hugs and smiles.

The community trekking guides in Lalibela are also desperate for work and want to start as soon as they can.

We have repairs to do and purchases to make to get the guesthouses up to standard and to help those communities that suffered the most. If you would like to contribute please get in touch with me.

But please also help to get the business started again. I can promise you or your friends an amazing adventure in Ethiopia.

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Join the Exciting Solar Eclipse Tour – this June in Ethiopia

A ‘ring of fire’ – how a solar eclipse looks

Witness a ring of fire in the sky over Ethiopia’s Jerusalem

 

“It’s not like night. It’s not like day. It’s not like twilight. It’s like nothing you’ve ever felt before.”

— Rhonda Coleman having witnessed the Great American Eclipse in Aug 2017

There will be a full Annular Solar Eclipse – that is ‘the moon moves in front of the sun and the world goes dark ‘ in Lalibela on the morning of 21 June this year. Nasa’s plotting of the eclipse shows that it will pass directly over Lalibela giving people over 1 minute of full eclipse where the moon almost totally blocks out the

View from Mequat Mariam Guesthouse

sun leaving a tiny ring of fire visible, or possibly what the experts call Baileys beads. This climatic moment will be at 8am, although the eclipse will start at about 7am. [This is subject to clear sky where the sun rises, but experts such as eclipsophile.com conclude that is likely to be the case].

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Tabots & incense at Senay Mikael festival

with a very special Saints’ Day when tabots are paraded out of the churches and the priests perform special dances and chants while incense spreads its blessing to all. Two mornings later you will witness this ring of fire in the sky above the sacred churches of Lalibela – built as Africa’s Jerusalem. The ancient landscape will darken for over 1 minute before it emerges out of the moons shadow again.

This will be a very special week – one you will never forget.  There are only a limited number of places on this trip – maximum is 6 people. Per person the price is $1,495. This includes local flights, transport, accommodation, guides and entry fees. You will pay your own lunch and dinner in Addis, Gondar and Lalibela, drinks and tips. We have arranged a champagne breakfast at Ben Abeba to celebrate the eclipse and we will have a celebratory dinner in Addis on the last night.

The trip begins in Addis on Saturday 13 June in the morning with us meeting you at Bole Airport, and it will end on Sun 21st June with us dropping you at the airport in Addis.

For more details see our tour page for this trip by clicking here. Or email us your details. We can also design a custom trip for you.

 

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Come to Lalibela to see a Ring of Fire in the sky.

A Ring of Fire in the sky above Africa’s Jerusalem, and Holy relics paraded from the churches. 

Ring of Fire – an Annular Solar Eclipse

Two special events this June in Lalibela: on Sunday 21st June,  you can witness a rare celestial phenomena, when the sun is eclipsed by the moon. It will be an ‘annular’  eclipse  so a ring of light or beads of light will become visible. While this event will begin in central Africa, and carry on to the middle east, experts believe Lalibela maybe one of the best places to observe this.

 

Icons & Tabots paraded under brocaded umbrellas

 

A few days before the eclipse, on Friday 19th June, you can celebrate the second biggest Saint’s Day in this Holy City: Senay Mikael  (The June St Michael’s Day) which is the annual saints day for Bete Mikael. It is also the anniversary of the death of the Saint King Lalibela who died on 19th June in 1221 ( 799 years ago) who is buried in the church behind Beta Mikael – known as Golgotta.
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Woman kisses the cross of a Monk

After a night of praying on the evening before, early in the morning sacred Tabots  (the holy of holy in the church sacred replicas of the Tablets of Stone) will come out for the churches with brocaded umbrellas and singing and dancing.

Why not come to Lalibela for these momentous days. Fly in on Thursday lunchtime and fly back out on Sunday afternoon.

Tesfa Tours has developed special packages to enjoy these two special occasions. Included in the package is transport, hotel, guide, entry fees and special viewing glasses to protect your eyes. We can also offer a fully inclusive package with all meals and a special Champagne breakfast for viewing of the eclipse.

The Eclipse will start 6:50 am, with the full eclipse at around 8am. It will finish by about 9:15am.  After the eclipse you can relax and ponder on what you have just witnessed. Your flight back will leave at 1:10 pm – so we will provide transport to the airport at 11:30am

Contact Tesfa Tours for more details.  eclipse@tesfatours.com

 

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Melkam Timkat – as Ethiopia celebrates a very special festival

Worshippers jump into the Fasilides baths

Melkam Timkat from us all at Tesfa Tours. If there is one holiday that encapsulates the unique nature of the Ethiopia Orthodox church it is Timkat. Literally it means baptism (in Ge’ez – the liturgical language, as well as in Amharic and Tigrinya), but is Ethiopia’s  unique take on the  celebration of Epiphany. Across the Orthodox world the 19th January is the day for celebrating Epiphany and what is celebrated is Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan river by John.

The pool of blessed water – Mequat 

Across Ethiopia this morning people rushed to get the holy water that was blessed in the Timkat ceremony. In Gondar they leapt into Fasilidas’ bath; in Addis many thousands got sprayed from the Timkat bath in Jan Meda field; across the country parishioners got splashed by water in some pool that was blessed by their priests. This is in commemoration of Jesus’ baptism, is a great blessing on those who get wet and is a moment of ecstatic joy.

 

A Tabot being paraded

The processions started yesterday, on the eve of Timkat. At some point in the afternoon, the ‘Tabot‘- the holy epicentre of the church, and a replica of the tablets of Stone that Moses carried down from Mount Sinai – is carried out from the church.  The Tabot is a rectangular slab of wood, marble or stone about the size of a big book. It is never seen, and is wrapped in brocaded cloths and carried on the head of a senior priest, under umbrellas and in the company of others carrying the special icons from the church and the processional cross. The procession of the Tabot is made with great joy and at the same time solemnity. Drummers play the large church kettle drums called Kabero, debtara (equivalent of cantors) dance with their prayer sticks and a special ‘rattle’ called a sistrum. 
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In N.E. Addis Ababa, the traditional place for the Tabots to rest is the Jan Meda, where they set up camp under tents, along with thousands of worshippers.

Next morning following a special mass and the baptismal ceremony the Tabots are processed by a different route back to their church bestowing blessings on all houses and people that they pass. It is a procession that harks back to King Davids processing of the Arc of Covenant into the new temple in Jerusalem.

However the Tabots from the Mikael churches do not come back on Timkat. They spend a second night camping out, and on the day after Timkat, which is the 12th of the Ethiopian month (Ter) Mikael saint’s day, there is a huge procession, with the numbers swollen by parishioners from the neighbouring churches. This day is also the day that commemorates the miracles of Jesus at the Wedding in Canaa – ‘ye Canaa Zegelila’. In the countryside these processions are often accompanied by decorated horsemen performing races known as ‘Gooks’.

This is a day to be out and participating. A day to celebrate Ethiopia’s unique contribution to the world. And most of all a day to enjoy.

We wish you all a wonderful, happy and blessed Timkat

 

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Happy (Ferenji) Christmas – and the coming festivities in Ethiopia

Gena ceremony in Lalibela

The coming month is a busy one for festivals in Ethiopia.  The biggest dates in the calendar are Kulubi Gabriel (28th December), Gena (Ethiopian Christmas) – on 7th January and Timkat (some what confusingly referred to as Epiphany) on the 19th January. These events are heavily promoted in the tourist industry, but often without a great deal of understanding.

Many think that as a spectacle, Gena can be seen all over Ethiopia, but in fact there is a unique celebration

A Tabot being paraded

in Lalibela with Tabots [the core of the church, replicas of the Tablets of Stone given to Moses] coming out onto the rock early in the morning and dancing and mass is said. Several thousand pilgrims stream from the countryside into the mountain town in the days preceding Gena, and melt away in the days that follow. Many will walk several hundred kilometres. In addition to this many Ethiopia pilgrims will descend on the town in buses from all over the country. This in itself is part of the tourist draw, to see the fervour, and the pilgrims camping out around the churches. Over the last twenty years tourist numbers attending Gena in Lalibela has swollen from scores of tourists to hundreds of tourists, and now will be well over a thousand!

The result is a bit ugly.  Too many tourists jockeying for position to get the epic photos. Their guides struggling to get them into position, prepared to muscle others, including pilgrims, out of the way.  In terms of visiting the churches, later on Timkat day or the day before, the scrum down to get into churches designed to hold some 20 worshipers is far worse than undignified.

Worshippers jump into the Fasilides baths

Timkat is however a pan-Ethiopian festival, and even celebrated across the Orthodox world in different ways. It is perhaps the festival that most marks out Ethiopia as unique. The word Timkat means Baptism (in Ge’ez, Amharic and Tigrinya), and the day is commemorating the baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan River. In each Orthodox church across the country, the tabot comes out the night before and and spends the night in what is usually a scenic location with nearby water. When a tabot comes out it is a ceremonial procession with singing, ululating, dancing and much joy. On the Timkat morning there is a mass service and water is blessed, before a joyful and vigorous splashing of the water as every one seeks to get water on them – for it is now holy water. Afterwards the tabot is once more processed back to the church, and people will go home and feast.

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However the majority of tourists believe that they should see this ceremony in Gondar, Lalibela or Axum.  In Gondar there is a ceremonial bath built by Fasilidas which makes a lovely backdrop for the ceremony, or it would if there were not so many tourists. In Lalibela the location is a modern cement water pool several hundred meters below the churches compound, and in Axum it is a large pool (built in recent times). What does make the ceremony special is the number of churches on the pageant.  However I don’t think this outweighs the negative effect of the over tourism. Every hotel is fully booked, and once full they take additional people camping in their grounds, so as in Lalibela  at Gena you are faced with the ugly side of over tourism.

So where can people see Timkat and Gena? Well as noted Timkat is everywhere. So go somewhere where you can have a connection to the local church. I recommend the Tesfa Community treks. Here you can celebrate Timkat with the community and really will get a sense of what the holiday means. Alternatively you can see it in Addis, where the small number of foreigners is swamped by the thousands of worshippers following their parish church to the celebration sport, which in the N.E of Addis is Jan Meda. Here you can see the ceremony and see how much it means to the people of Addis.

Bale Wold church in Addis, crowds gather to see the Tabot

And Gena, well there is no substitute for witnessing the pilgrims and special celebration in Lalibela, but where ever you are on Gena eve, you can ask your guide to take you to a local church that night and witness the parishioners coming to celebrate the birthday of Jesus. They will have been fasting for one month in preparation for this day.  In some special churches dedicated to Bale Exyabier perhaps, the tabot will come out then next morning. One such church is adjacent to Selassie in central Addis, and here again the ululating and excitement at the coming out of the tabot can be felt.

Community celebrate at Festival in Meket

There are many days in January where tabot come out in special locations. The 26th January is the commemoration of the martyrdom of St George, when his bones were ground to dust – Sebreatesemu Giyorgis. This is a big day in Lalibela and the surrounding area, and great celebrations can be seen with few foreigners present (if any). There are other days too – Selassie  on 15th January, Cherkos – 23rd January and Asteryo Mariam on 29th January.  There are churches up and down the country where the tabot will be processed out of the church on these days – and you can feel and see the age old mystery of the tabot, and the devotion of people to it.

Find out how you can enjoy this holy season in Ethiopia away from the mass of tourists with the help of the Tesfa Tours team. We can design a great trip to experience these unique days or others like them, enabling you to experience the real Ethiopia.

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Melkam Timkat

The community at Mequat Mariam parade the Tabot out at TImkat with Ethiopian flags flying

The community at Mequat Mariam in Wollo parade the Tabot out at Timkat

Today one of Ethiopia’s big holidays has started, it is the eve of Timkat and if you are in Addis the roads are closing as the Tabots are paraded out of the churches on their way to the field where the Baptism of Jesus will be commemorated tomorrow morning.  Timkat – meaning ‘Baptism’ is a festival that seems to encapsulate Ethiopia’s unique place in the world. It is frequently referred to as Epiphany, which while technically correct undersells what is a very special and Ethiopian day. Epiphany is a Greek word meaning manifestation or appearance, and it celebrates the events in Christ’s life that showed him to be the son of God. In the early church (before Rome got into it) this was the major feast in the church after Easter. In Epiphany was encapsulated all the major events that manifested Christ’s Godhood to man: his birth (Nativity) , the visit of the Magi, the turning watering wine at the wedding in Canaa, and his baptism in the Jordan river. With the appearance of Christmas in the developing church as a new festival, his nativity was taken out of Epiphany.

Holes are cut in the Ice in Russia

Bathers queue to dip in the freezing water in St..Petersburg

In the Eastern Orthodox churches Epiphany, in Greece often called Theophany (meaning shinning forth/appearance) is celebrated to commemorate the Baptism of Jesus as it is in Ethiopia. In Russia people cut a hole in the ice on a body of water and jump in. In Greece a cross is thrown into water and men dive for the honour of bringing it back. In Ethiopia, the holy Tabot is the heart of the church and what in fact makes a church holy, is processed to a place where water will be blessed. The tabot is in fact a replica of the Tablets of Stone that Moses carried down from Mount Sinai (although many state that they are a replica of the the Ark of Covenant).

In fact it is really spread over 2 or 3 days. This year – (leap years are different next one is 2020), it will start on the 18th Jan (Ter 10). In Addis the Tabots will leave the churches at around 2pm with a big procession, singing of hymns and chants, drumming, horns being blown and dancing to the chants. Icons are processed and most especially the tabots wrapped in brocaded cloth carried on the heads of the high priests under umbrellas. The procession will makes its way over several hours to the special resting point for the tabots. In north eastern Addis Ababa this place is Jan Meda (the Imperial horse racing fields). At Jan Meda about a dozen tabots spend the night with tents for shelter, and priests and devoted followers. The fields become the centre of the festival for the evening and next day, and for tabots from St Mikael churches the next day too.

Tens of thousands of people will gather at the fields in the evening, hundreds sell refreshments and nicknacks. The roads around are packed solid.  During the processions roads are closed across the city (and the country) and no cars can pass. Houses beside the route the tabots pass are blessed. Young lads lay down carpets on the road in front off the tabot. They rapidly roll them up behind and run them round to the front again, extreme hard work and a devotion that illustrates how deep seated are the beliefs and culture of the Orthodox church even in the capital city.

Where to see it? Head to your nearest Orthodox church, and plan to be there by 2pm. Then you can join in the procession to the fields. Don’t be worried by the crowds, everyone is joyful and will be happy to see you, but do show respect for the priests and the tabots, dress appropriately (women should cover heads and neither men nor women should wear short clothing – if you have traditional white cotton clothes all the better). At the convergence points of the tabots there could be pick pockets at work so be careful of possessions and do not carry unnecessary valuables.
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The followers play the church drum “Kabero” and dance the tabot across town

These Timkat processions are through-out Ethiopia where ever there is an Orthodox church. Procession make there way across towns in urban areas and over the fields in the countryside, to a place where in the morning the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan river is commemorated. Water will be blessed and the multitudes will be splashed with the holy water and try to take some home with them in bottles. Following this ceremony the tabots (with the exception of Mikael tabots) will be processed back to their church with similar joy, noise, colour and reverence to that with which they were processed today. These processions bring to mind the biblical accounts of King David’s processing the Ark of Covenant to Jerusalem: “So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.” although Ethiopia’s instruments are drums and horns.

So where should you go to see it (in Ethiopia). In Addis Ababa, head for your nearest place where tabots have congregated, and try to get there quite early (8am). There will be big crowds near the major places such as Jan Meda, and beware of pickpockets! In the countryside similarly head for the tabots resting place early in the morning. Local people will tell you when.

Worshippers jump into the Fasilides baths

In Gondar you will need to seek out a place early in the morning at Fasilidas’ baths. It becomes extremely crowded. Your guide will advise you. The moment of the joyful splashing is the high point. In Gondar youngsters jump into the pool, in Addis the clergy spray the crowd from the water in the pool in the midst of the field. In parishes up and down the country water is splashed from the blessed pool, spring or river in a joyous celebration. Then you can follow the joyful processions back up to the churches.

The 20th January, Ter 12, is one of the big St Mikael days in the year, and also commemorates the Wedding Feast at Canaa when Jesus turned water into wine. The St.Mikael tabots remain in the field on the 19th and on the morning if the 290th a special mass is celebrated and the procession then begins back to the Mikael church. This is the biggest procession of them all as followers of other nearby churches will join in. In many places there is Gooks: racing of decorated horses around the procession. With a lot of dancing through the morning the Tabot is processed back to its church bestowing blessings on all whose house is passed. Most processions will be finished by around 2pm.

Melkam Timkat!

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The death of King Lalibela Commemorated Today

A painting of Saint-King Lalibela, on a canvas in Lalibela

A painting of Saint-King Lalibela, on a canvas in Lalibela

Today, 19th June / Senay 12, is known as Senay Mikael and is an important Saint’s day across the country. But in Lalibela it is the most important holy day in Lalibela after Gena, for it is the anniversary of the death 796 years ago, of the Saint-King Lalibela, whose name the town has taken. He is said to have died in 1221 and is renown as the architect of the amazing labyrinth of rock hewn churches which are the focus of the town of Lalibela, formerly known as Roha.

Most sources available on the internet are vague on when was King Lalibela born and how long he lived. Entries from the late Richard Pankhurst and other well researched entries such as museums are vague about his year of birth often preferring to give his dates as late 12th

Entrance to Mikael & Golgotta in Lalibela

Entrance to Mikael & Golgotta in Lalibela

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His tomb is in the church Golgota which adjoins Beta Mikael

LalibelaGolgotta saint bas releif

Bas Relief in Golgotha church in Lalibela

in the main cluster of churches in Lalibela, making this a very special double annual saint’s day. Yesterday on the eve of the big day, there was singing and chanting around Bet Mikael and Golgotta (where the Saint-King is buried) and this morning the two tabots (Mikael and Lalibela) were paraded out to a nearby tent with great pomp and celebration, and an hour or so after returned to the church. There is also an especially big market today full of livestock and other local produce, even though its not the usual Saturday market day.

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Ethiopia prepares for Timkat

Flags put up on the streets of Addis in preparation for the Timkat processions on 18th - 20th Jan

Flags put up on the streets of Addis in preparation for the Timkat processions on 18th – 20th Jan

Preparations are underway for one festival that seems to encapsulate Ethiopia’s unique place in the world: it is Timkat – or ‘Baptism’. It is frequently referred to as Epiphany, which undersells what is a very special and Ethiopian day. In fact it is really spread over 2 or 3 days. And it start tomorrow- Wed 18th Jan (Ter 10).

The programme:   In Addis the Tabot will leave the churches at around 2pm with a big procession, singing of hymns and chants, drumming, horns being blown and dancing to the chants. Icons are processed and most especially the tabots wrapped in brocaded cloth carried on the heads of the high priests under umbrellas. The procession will makes its way over several hours to the special resting point for the tabots. In north eastern Addis Ababa this is Jan Meda (

A Tabot  being paraded

A Tabot being paraded for Timkat

the Royal horse racing fields). At Jan Meda about a dozen tabots spend the night with tents for shelter, and priests and devoted followers. The fields become the centre of the festival for the evening and next day, and for St Mikael Tabots  the next day too. Tens of thousands of people will gather at the fields in the evening, hundreds sell refreshments and nicknacks. The roads around are packed solid.

During the processions roads are closed across the city (and the country) and no cars can pass. Houses beside the route the tabots pass are blessed. Young lads lay down carpets on the road infant off the taboo. They rapidly rolls them up behind and run them round to the front again, extreme hard work and a devotion that illustrates how deep seated are the beliefs and culture of the Orthodox church even in the capital city.

Where to see it?  Head to your nearest Orthodox church, and plan to be there by 2pm. Then you can join in the procession to the fields. Don’t be worried by the crowds, everyone is joyful and will be happy to see you, but do show respect for the priests and the Tabots, dress appropriately (women should cover heads and neither men nor women should wear short clothing – if you have traditional white cotton clothes all the better).  At the convergence points of the tabots thee could be pick pockets at work so be careful of possessions and do not carry unnecessary valuables.
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See tomorrow for details of the rest of Timkat!  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

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Come & join the Timkat celebration in a Village in Ethiopia

The community at Mequat Mariam parade the Tabot out at TImkat with Ethiopian flags flying

The community at Mequat Mariam parade the Tabot out at Timkat

If you are still unsure what to do next week over Timkat why not come and celebrate with one of the villages on a Tesfa trek.

Timkat is probably the most colourful festival in Ethiopia. Its a magical celebration linked to one of the oldest festival in the Christian – Epiphany. But in the Eastern (Orthodox) churches – Epiphany celebrated the baptism of Christ not the visit of the Magi (as in the western Church). In fact the word Timkat means ‘baptism’.  Epiphany itself refers to the manifestation of Christ’s divinity, and in the original church it celebrated the various points in Christ’s life where his divinity was shown: his nativity (this was before Christmas was celebrated), the visit of the Magi, Christ’s miracles (especially at the wedding in Cana), and his baptism in the Jordan river.

The village at Wajela celebrate Timkat with dancing and singing

The village at Wajela celebrate Timkat with dancing and singing

The favorability of their use have been due to the effective utilization of such drug products & the male patients can also make overnight cheap viagra their patients from the nightmares of erectile dysfunction. The effect, side effect, healing process of the diseases with the new http://deeprootsmag.org/2014/09/15/whole-thing-fun/ levitra 40 mg and advanced treatment techniques. When sildenafil cipla reaches the body, it dilate the vessels, relax penile muscles and dilate the vessels to enhance blood-availability near the genitals. It is known for improving appetite and in clearing out urinary infections in women. deeprootsmag.org viagra 100mg pfizer Timkat in Ethiopia is effectively a 3 day event although only the second day is the holiday and is Timkat. The celebrations start on the eve which this year is 19th January (Ter 10 in the Ethiopian calendar). The Tabots are paraded with colour, dance and singing out of their church compounds and off on a route to what is normally an attractive place if possible by a water source. On arrival the tabot is set up with a tent and the church community will stay with the tabot, some for the night. On the day of Timkat there is a mass before the water source is blessed and with wonderful joy the water is splashed on the onlookers and as much as possible some is collected to be taken home as a holy water.

After this celebration the tabots are taken back to their church with renewed joy and celebration, passing by a different route to bless those whose farms or houses it passes. All tabots except for Mikael tabots, who spend another day camping out as Ter 12 is St Michaels day (Mikael) and interestingly commemorates the wedding in Cana – (Cana Ze Galila). The Mikael day is also very big and the processions are bigger as many of those who attended the previous two days celebrations now come together for Mikael. In some places horses, decorated in colourful pompoms have horse races while the procession goes on.

There is no better day to feel the religious fervour and the deeply held beliefs in the Ethiopian Orthodox church. Whether you witness this in the streets of Addis or in the remote mountains on a Tesfa Trek you will be struck by the passion it arouses in the followers of the church and by the feeling that this is biblical, out of the old testament harking back to King David’s processing of the Ark of Covenant in Jerusalem.

 

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