Religious Events in Ethiopia

Meskel is one of the colorfully celebrated religious festivals (especially in the Orthodox Church) in Ethiopia. It is celebrated by feasting, dancing, and lighting a massive bonfire known in Ethiopian tradition as "Damera". Meskel memorializes the finding of the True Cross in the 4th when Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, discovered the True Cross on which Jesus was crucified. The feast is celebrated in Ethiopia on the 17th of September Ethiopian calendar (the 27th of September Gregorian calendar), 6 months after the finding of the True Cross. The celebration of Meskel implies the presence of the True Cross at mountain of Gishen Mariam monastery and also a sign of the events carried out by Empress Helena.

According to the belief, Empress Helena lit incense and prayed for assistance to guide her. The smoke blew towards the direction of the covered cross. She dug and found 3 crosses; one of them was the True Cross used to crucify Jesus. Empress Helena then gave a portion of the True Cross to all churches, including the Ethiopian Church. This piece of the True Cross was then brought to Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian legend, when people get close to this Cross it made them unclothed by its powerful light. Due to this, a decision was made tobury it at the mountain of Gishen Mariam monastery in Wollo region. It is evident that the monastery of Gishen Mariam has a volume of a book which records the story of the True Cross of Jesus and how it was came into the possession.

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