ETHIOPIAN FESTIVALS.....

These may share origins with Christian, Moslem and tribal festivals elsewhere in the world but have unique indigenous characteristics in Ethiopia .

If you can, try to plan your trip around one of the following spectacular festivals! Specially, During MESKEL, TIMKET, KULUBI or SHEIK HUSSEIN .

MESKEL

Meskel (the finding of the true cross) (on 27 September as Ethiopian calendar) festival is one of the land mark events in the Ethiopia culture and spiritual life. Meskel which means ‘cross' in Geez ( the classic language of Ethiopia now used predominantly in Ethiopian Orthodox church) is a revered symbol. Ethiopia claims more than a thousand types of elaborate cross designs to its treasured heritage and uncontested world record.

The Maskel festival commemorates the finding of the True cross on which Jesus Christ of Nazareth was crucified in Gologotha. Church chronicle has it that the Ethiopian monarch, Zara yacob brought the remains of the True cross to Ethiopia in the 15 th century AD.

The festivities of Meskel are mainly lighting of the fire (Demera) symbolically mimicking the rituals of Queen Eleni (Helena) the mother of Emperor Constantine of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine) who was instrumental in finding the True cross.

Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) one of the major religious celebrations in Ethiopia but unlike many parts of the world, Christmas Day is celebrated on 7 January and not 25 December. Also unlike other parts of the world, the emphasis is on the religious aspect of the day.

The Ethiopian Christmas, also called Lidet, is not the primary religious and secular festival that it has become in western countries. Falling on 7 th January, it is celebrated seriously by a church service that goes on throughout the night, with people moving from one church to another, traditionally, young men played a game that is similar to hockey, called Genna, on this day and now Christmas has also come to be known by that Name.

TIMKET(Epiphany)

Is one of the greatest festivals in the Ethiopian Orthodox church calendar. It commemorates Christ's Baptism by st. John in the Jordan River . Timket is celebrated in Ethiopia on the 11 th January Ethiopian calendar (19th January Gregorian calendar), two weeks after Genna (Ethiopian Christmas), beginning on the eve of Timket with colorful processions and ceremonies ending on the 12 th January (20th January Gregorian calendar).

In Timket, Tella and Tej are brewed, special bread is baked called “HIMBASH” (in Tigrinya) “AMBASHA” (in Amharic), and sheep are slaughtered to mark the three-day celebration.

KULUBI (Feast of Saint Gabriel)

SHEIK HUSSEIN