Ethiopia Festivals and Events

Ethiopian Festivals and Events

Meskel “the finding of the true cross”

Meskel (Finding of the True Cross) is the celebration of the finding of remnants of the actual cross on which Jesus was crucified.  The word “Meskel” means “cross” in Amharic.  It is celebrated on September 26th and 27th in a leap year at Meskel square in the capital Addis Ababa and across the country. Open- air bonfire is among the many attractive features of the holiday. It is one of the major tourist attractions of Ethiopia and is registered as a heritage with UNESCO.

The Meskel celebration includes the burning of a large bonfire, or Demera, According to Christian tradition, St. Eleni (Empress Helena) discovered the hiding place of three crosses used at the crucifixion of Jesus.  In her dream, Eleni was told she should make a bonfire; the direction of the smoke would tell her the exact location of the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified.  She followed the directions from her dream, and the smoke landed exactly where the cross was buried.

Meskel celebrations begin the night before with large bonfires topped with a cross and decorated with meskel flowers.  The bonfire preparations are blessed and burned while revelers sing and dance around the fire, locally called demera. Charcoal from the remains of the fire is afterwards collected and used by the faithful to mark their foreheads with the shape of a cross.

The True Cross Meskel celebration is considered the most important religious holiday in Ethiopia, largely because it’s believed that a piece of the cross Saint Helena discovered was brought to Ethiopia and is housed in the mountains of Amba Geshen.

Timket “Epiphany”

The festival of Timket “Epiphany” is one of the most important festivals in the Ethiopian Orthodox church.  It is celebrated on January 19th (20th in a leap year) and commemorates Christ’s baptism by St. John in the Jordan River. This is an extremely colorful three-day festival commemorating the baptism of Christ by john the the Baptist in Jordan River. The night before, priests take the Tabot (which symbolizes the Ark of the Covenant) containing the Ten Commandments from each Church. Concealed by an ornamental cloth, it is taken to a tent, close to a consecrated pool or stream, accompanied by much ringing of bells, blowing of trumpets and the burning of incense.

Irrechaa

‘Irrechaa’ – one of the major traditional religious celebrations of the Oromo people. This festivity is celebrated on Sunday that comes following Meskel festival. Irrechaa is a Thanks giving day to their “waqa”. The festival is usually held around a river or a lake as the people of Oromo believe the Almighty governs the seas and rivers of the world. At national level, it is celebrated in Bishoftu town in Lake Hora Arsedi. On the festival community leaders and Aba Gadas address thanks to WAQA for the blessed transition from the rainy season which is normally considered as dark to the bright and colorful season. The festivity is filled with prayers to God (Waaqaa) for peace and stability, prosperity and abundance, social order (to be maintained), and the environment to be protected as well as prayers for deliverance in times of difficulties and challenges.

Genna (Ethiopian Christmas)

The annual celebration of the Ethiopian Christmas also called Genna commemorate the birthday of Christ on January 07 or Tahisas 29th in Ethiopian Calendar. Gena is one of the popular holidays and a peak festive season and fiesta aligned with best amazing cultural dishes, traditional cloths, traditional games and different religious activities.

In the town of Lalibela, the day is celebrated in a very peculiar and attractive ways as the day is the birthday of King Lalibela, who constructed the historic and mesmerizing rock hewn churches. Tourists from around the world and Orthodox Christians travelled to Lalibela to attend the unique ceremony.