Ethiopian Colorful Festivals & Pilgrimage Sites

Ethiopia owns and hosts varied type very attractive and colorful spiritual and secular festivals and events every year that draw the attraction of the whole world. It is an old dated tradition of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church t observe very colorful and unique festivals in commemoration of the birth of Christ, the baptism of Christ transfiguration, resurrection and ascension of Christ, veneration of St,Mery, angels, martyrs, righteous, prophets, apostles and the findingaof the true cross. Besides these there are different types of colorful Islamic holydays and many more gov’t and public events and festivals held in different season with in the year.

1. Historical sites

Axum

Dating back to the early Christian era and beyond, Axum was once the cosmopolitan center of a powerful and expansive civilization. An archeological site named as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, it is a sight to behold. Visit the St. Mary of Zion Cathedral, the final resting place of the Arc of the Covenant, and try to unravel an age-old mystery. Walk amongst the beautifully crafted giant obelisks or explore the ruins of the imperial palace of the legendary Queen of Sheba and feel the aura of a glorious past.

Lalibela

Lalibela is a historical site in Ethiopia that has made it on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Commissioned by King Lalibela, sometime during the 12th and 13th centuries it took 24 years to construct 11 marvelous churches each carved out of solid rock. Legend has it that the pious King Lalibela who had returned from exile in Israel, decided to build the churches as the second Jerusalem. Archaeologists say it would have taken a work force of 40,000 people to complete this work. Walk through these 800 year old monolithic rock-hewn churches and understand why it’s considered to be the 8th wonder of the world.

Gondar

The famous Emperor Fasilides founded the city of Gondar. You will be in awe of the 17th century gothic castles and churches that are still standing and functional. If visiting in the month of January, you will not want to miss Timket, the celebration of the Epiphany, the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. This ritual reenacts the baptism in the ancient bathing pool at the castle. Many participants immerse themselves in the sanctified water, symbolically renewing their own baptismal vows. Then the massive crowd escorts the tabot, a replica of Moses’ tablet bearing the Ten Commandments, back to the church in a colorful procession.

Bahir Dar

The origins of Bahir Dar date back to at least the sixteenth century. In the mid-19th century, the Emperor Tewodros II, who ruled Ethiopia from 1855 to 1868, used Bahir Dar as a camp for his army and him. During the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, an Italian column moved from Gondar and occupied Bahir Dar on April 23, 1937. The city was then bombed by the Royal Air Force on October 21 and 22, 1940, although there was little damage. In 1963, a Polytechnic Institute was built by the Soviet Union, costing 2.9 million Ethiopian Birr (Amharic: ብር), and opened; the institute offered courses in agricultural mechanics, industrial chemistry, electrical technology, wood-working and processing technology, textile technology, and metal technology. Bahir Dar was made headquarters of the Third Revolutionary Army (TLA) in May 1988, during the Ethiopian Civil War. In March 1990, the TLA abandoned the city, which was re-occupied a few days later by the Derg (Amharic: ደርግ) – a committee of the Armed Forces, police, and Territorial Army which ruled Ethiopia from 1974 to 1987.In honor of the Millennium celebrations (which happened on September 12, 2007 on our calendar), the city hosted a National Investment Bazaar and Trade Fair from January 6 to January 9, 2007.

Harar is a fascinating city where the old and the new coexist. The walled part of the city, known as Jegol, represents the old well preserved and in good condition compound. The friendly inhabitants have developed a unique culture that is a blend of the Islamic and the indigenous. Their traditional costumes are as colorful and captivating as the architecture in the city. Walk through the new and old town and feel the organically evolved harmony that prevails. Trace the footsteps of the French poet Rimbaud or shop in the splendid outdoor markets. The dare devil in you may tempt you to visit the Hyena Whisperer where you can feed hyenas by hand.

Dire Dawa

Dire Dawa is 55kms from Harar. Unlike Harer it has very different character, while Harar preaches at the top, Dire Dawa lies at the foot of the escarpment & the climate is considerably warmer and drier. Dire Dawa was founded very recently in 1900 as a result of the advent of the railway, which reaches the point in 1902 and stayed that way for some years before finally completing its journey to Addis Ababa. It is one of the 2nd populous towns in Ethiopia with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The old part of the town is made of twisting streets and Arab-Style houses with Somali women in black velvet, their face covered with purple veils. The new quarter presents quite a contrast, with its tree-shaded boulevards; trim modern houses, factories and its new multistory hotels and a fine hospital.

Yeha

Yeha is situated in the northern mountainous section of the Tigray region. Although today this small settlement survives as a shanty town, it was once a site of great pre-Axumite civilization. Believed to be Ethiopia’s first capital, Yeha was first uncovered in a complex archeological excavation around a courtyard at the beginning of the 20th C. The first settlers of this area, the Sabeans, were the founders of the Axumite kingdom. The temple of Yeha, with one side of its walls in ruin, is otherwise still intact and testifies to the advanced level of the people of those times. There is no trace of mortar being used to build the temple of which the inside of the walls was believed to be have been paved with gold. The archeological excavations made in 1909, 1947 and 1973 respectively, reveal that this beautiful temple was destroyed by fire. Treasures such as gold rings, golden lions, stone-engraved inscriptions written in Sabean, stone-carved animals like the Walya ibex (one of Ethiopia’s endemic mammals), pottery works and others were uncovered. Some of these findings are displayed in the 4th-century church museum found in the same compound as the temple while others are displayed at the National Museum in Addis Ababa. The twelve underground formations and four other very deep cave structures (which seem to lead to Yemen, Lalibela, Jerusalem and Axum), increase the area’s importance in terms of both archeological research and tourism.

Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash)

Ethiopia still retains the Julian calendar, in which the year is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of 5 days and 6 days in leap year. The Ethiopian calendar is 8 years and 7 months behind the Gregorian calendar from January to September and 7 years behind between September 11 and January 8. Enkutatash means the “gift of jewels”. When the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive jaunt to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her bolts by replenishing her treasury with inku or jewels. The spring festival has been celebrated since these early times and as the rains come to their abrupt end, dancing and singing can be heard at every village in the green countryside. But Enkutatash is not exclusively a religious holiday. Today’s Enkutatash is also the season for exchanging formal New Year greetings and cards among the urban sophisticated – in lieu or the traditional bouquet of flowers.

Epiphany (Timket)

Timket, feast of Epiphany is the greatest festival of the year falling on the 19 January just two weeks after the Ethiopian Christmas. It is actually a three-day affair beginning on the eve of Timket with dramatic and colourful processions. The following morning the great day itself, Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist is commemorated. Since October and the end of the rains, the country has been drying up steadily. The sun blazes down from a clear blue sky and the festival of Timket always takes place in glorious weather.

The Finding of the True Cross (Meskal)

Meskal has been celebrated in the country for over 1600 years. The word actually means “cross” and the feast commemorates the discovery of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified, by the Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. The original event took place on 19 March 326 AD. But the feast is now celebrated on 27 September.

Many of the rites observed throughout the festival are said to be directly connected to the legend of Empress Helena. On the eve of Meskal, tall branches are tied together and yellow daisies, popularly called Meskal Flowers, are placed at the top. During the night those branches are gathered together in front of the compound gates and ignited – This symbolizes the actions of the Empress who, when no one would show the Holy Sepulcher, lit incense and prayed for help. Where the smoke drifted, she dug and found three roses. To one of the three, on the True Cross of Jesus, many miracles were attributed. Meskal also signifies the physical presence of part of the True Cross at the church of Egziabher Ab, the

Hidar Tsion Festival, the Celebration of St. Mary of Zion – 29th November

Hidar Tsion is one of the most highly regarded religious celebrations of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church that takes place in the fantastic highland and old town of Axum, Ethiopia’s most sacred city. Axum is where according to Ethiopian legend; the Ark of the Covenant resides within the church of St. Mary of Zion. The joyous Hidar Tsion festival is a pilgrimage attended by thousands of people from all around the country. The fascinating annual celebration of this festival falls on Hidar 21 (November 29 & 30), and has an Old Testament origin. The festival is directly associated with the Ark of the Covenant as described in the Bible. And also it commemorates the miracle done by the Ark of the Covenant against the philistines idols as stated in the Holy Bible.

In the days leading up to the event on 30 November, thousands of pilgrims arrive in Aksum. Celebrations start in front of the Northern Stelae Field, where the monarchs of the Orthodox Church line the steps and watch performers in the street below. For an unforgettable experience make your way to the compound of the St Mary of Zion church between 1:00 am and sunrise on the day of the festival and witness a sea of white-robed pilgrims curled up asleep. Standing among the slowly shifting sea are a few scattered priests reading by candlelight.

Ethiopian Christmas (Genna)

Lalibela is a nondescript town of a few dusty streets atop a rugged mountain some 700 km north of Addis Ababa. But its 11 monolithic churches—carved out of the red volcanic stone in the 12th century, and now a World Heritage Site—are thronged by pilgrims every Christmas. Because of differences between Western and Ethiopian calendars and traditions, Ethiopians celebrate that holiday on what Westerners know as January 7.

According to church tradition, it was two shipwrecked Christian boys who introduced the faith to Ethiopia in the fourth century; they worked as slaves in the royal court but eventually became advisers to King Ezana, who spread Christianity among his people. Lalibela became a holy city after the capture of Jerusalem by Muslim forces in 1187; since Ethiopian Christian pilgrims could no longer go there, the reigning king—Lalibela—declared the town to be a new Jerusalem.

After the stroke of midnight on January 7, you will start attending Christmas Mass at rock hewn churches of Lalibela. This night, pilgrims will jam the church shoulder to shoulder and thronged the surrounding hills. To begin the Mass, priests will chant and rattled sistras and the celebration will continue through the night.

At sunrise, the church will be empty. More than 100 priests will climb the rocky steps to the rim of the pit overlooking the church and form a line that snaked to the very edge of the drop. They will wear white turbans, carry golden scarves and had red sashes stitched into the hems of their white robes. Several deacons will began beating large drums, and the priests began to sway in unison, rattling their sistras, then crouching in a wavy line to the beat and rising again—King David’s dance, the last of the Christmas ceremonies.

In the courtyard below, dozens of priests will form a tight circle with drummers in the center and began chanting a hymn to the priests above, who responded in kind. “The courtyard priests represent the world’s people, whilst the priests high above represent the angels,”. “Their singing is a symbol of the unity between heaven and earth.” On they went for two hours, their movements and voices swelling in intensity. Many of those high above slipped into ecstatic trances, closing their eyes as they swayed. You will fear that one of them—or more—would fall. But none did.

When you visited Lalibela for Christmas celebrations, the altitude—8,600 feet above sea level—and the crowds took your breath away: the tunnels and passageways connecting the churches were crammed with devotees bumping into and even shoving one another in their rush to get from one church to another. Lalibela has 20,000 residents, and “more than 50,000 pilgrims come for Christmas

GISHEN MARIAM (Feast of the Piece of the Cross) – 1st October

Gishen Mariam Monastery is located 483 kilometers north of Addis Ababa in Wollo Region on the naturally crude cruciform-shaped land. The abundance natural beauty and the marvels of this ancient church are immensely thrilling for visitors. Girdled by sheer cliffs in all directions and with only one access, the church is perched at the top of a hill. The church served as the ‘Royal Prison’ during the medieval political history of Ethiopia for its highly secluded landscape. A fragment from the original True Cross is buried underneath this church. Because of this, this shrine is one of the most sacred churches in the country. Emperor Dawit is said to have brought this piece of Christ’s cross from Egypt. This is one of the precious religious relics of the church that draws thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the country. In the 14th Century, Emperor Zara Yacob, said to be led by the Holy Spirit brought this treasure to its present location at Gishen, whom the annual celebration of the feast of the Piece of the Cross is associated with. The Monastery holds a volume of a book which records the story of the True Cross of Christ and how it was acquired. The celebration of the festival at Gishen Mariam is highly colorful and fascinating with a large number of believers congregated on the marvelous landscape of the Monastery praying and chanting both on the eve that falls on September 30 and on the following day of the main celebration,

KULUBI GABRIEL (Celebration of St. Gabriel) -28th of December and 26th of July

The Arch Angel Gabriel is the most popular patron Saint for many Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The festival is celebrated twice a year in the most colorful way that can profoundly fascinate visitors of any religion. These two annual celebrations of Saint Gabriel take place on the 28th of December as well as on the 26th of July. The origin of the Church of St. Gabriel at Kulubi is traced back to the last decade of 19th century and it was Ras Mekonnen (Haile Selassie’s father) who is credited with the construction.

Large crowds of people gather on the day of this celebration. People of all ages, sexes, classes and even religion come to this sacred place from all corners of Ethiopia. Pilgrims walk to the Church to make or fulfill a vow, to ask favors, or in many cases to give thanks for favors granted. Some carry heavy rocks on their backs, particularly for the last few kilometers uphill to the Church. The church is highly famed for attracting devoted Christians who wish to make a vow and it is also widely believed that their vows are often fulfilled.

SHEIKH HUSSEIN – (An Islamic Pilgrimage)

The sacred shrine of Sheikh Hussein is located 592 km southeast of Addis Ababa in the desert plains of Bale Province. Its glistening white domes float in a vast sea of emerald green scrub. Through the heat haze and craggy outlines of the Bale Mountains on the distant horizon, this remote shrine and its sacred compound house the tomb of a Saint renowned for his miraculous powers.

In the 700 years since the Sheikh’s death, the pilgrimage has evolved into an amalgam of saint cult & ancient ritual. Although little is known of Sheikh Hussein’s history, his shrine has become the site one of Ethiopia’s most extraordinary pilgrimages. Twice each year up to 50,000 pilgrims, most coming from Ethiopia’s remote villages, make an arduous journey to pray at the shrine of Shiekh Hussein.

By tradition, the departure of the pilgrims from their remote villages is led by the waxing and waning of the moon. Some will travel by donkey or mule, but most will walk – often barefoot – for up to 6 weeks or more to reach this sacred place. (From two days to two weeks visit for each pilgrimage along with other fascinating destinations)

Ethiopian most honored Saints

The most versatile St, Yared

Composer, scholar, and pioneer of musical notation, Saint Yared was born in Axum, Ethiopia on April 25, 505 AD. Little is known regarding his family background but scholars suggest he was part of the Axum priesthood. Yared studied intermittently throughout his life starting at the age of six. Legend has it that Yared had an epiphany while observing a caterpillar that was adamant in climbing to the top of a tree despite numerous failed attempts. His experience observing nature inspired him to maintain focus with his studies of the Holy Scriptures.

During his third return to seminary Yared came into his full intellectual potential and composed a system of musical notation. He had developed a passion for music and authored several religious hymns and songs. Each composition is based on a combination of local traditions and the concept of the Holy Trinity. He divided his hymns into four segments representing the four seasons of the year, winter, summer, spring, and autumn, each with their own melodies. Yared compiled these works into a pamphlet he called The Book of Digua (chants of sorrow and tearful songs in the language of Ge’ez). He organized his compositions into three modes (displaced major scales) reflecting the Holy Trinity. In his composition “Deggua Yared” he created ten musical tones with notation.

With Yared’s three mode compositions, he formed the following ten notes: Yizet, Deret, Rikrik, Difat, Cheret, Qenat, Hidet, Qurt, Dirs, and Anbir. His composition consisted of dashes, curves, and dots each having a particular meaning.

Saint Yared died at the age of 66. All of Yared’s innovations were developed through a combination of formal study and experiences he had in and with nature. His work expressed a form of musical syncretism. Although not well known outside of Ethiopia, Yared is a major innovator in the development of medieval music.

St Abune Tekle Haymanot

St Tekle Haymanot was born in Zorare, a district in Selale which lies on the eastern edge of Shewa in December 24, 1192. He was the son of the priest Tsega Zeab (“Gift of Faith”) and his wife Egzi’e Haraya (“Choice of God”). Tekle Haymanot was born after his parents, who had failed to have children, pledged their firstborn to God.

He founded a major monastery in his native province of Shewa. He is the only Ethiopian saint popular both amongst Ethiopians and outside of his country. During his time, Shewa was subjected to a number of devastating raids by Islamic aggression and the anti Christian pagan elements which persecuted the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church. These raids weakened the morale of the Christians in Shewa, and strengthened the practice of paganism.

However, the coming of this new Apostle introduces a new era in the renewal of Orthodox Christianity. He preached the gospel across the country especially to southern & south western parts of the country.

He dedicated his life to God and spent his entire time in prayer, penance and preaching the Word of God. Due to his ardent devotion, he received six wings by his God like the angles as reward for his broken leg whereupon he stood too long on one foot for seven years. Finally, he died at the age of 99 years, 10 months and 10 days.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church commemorates the feast of the saint on 24th day of each month of which some are great annual feasts – on Tahisas 24 (January 3), his birth, Megabit 24 (April 2) his conception), Ginbot 12 (April 20)the departure of his relics and Nehasie 24(August 30) the departure of the saint.

Based on the covenant God made with His saints as mentioned in various parts of the Holy Scripture, such as (Matthew 10:40- 42), today (August 30), many believers came to his famous Monastery, Debre Libanos which is a place of pilgrimage to celebrate colorfully the feast of the saint