Holidays and Festivals

The Ethiopian calendar registers the New Year on Meskerem (September); first, as a commemoration of the receding of the great storm during the time of Noah, and secondly as a remembrance of Kidus Yohannes (St John the Baptist). Hence, the Ethiopian New Year is also known as Kidus Yohannes, in memory of the saint and his sacrifice. All these symbolize the transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

The Ethiopian New Year also honours the seasonal transition from the heavy rainy season to the bright one. The safe transition from the rainy season to the breathtaking bright Meskerem is symbolic of the passage from an awe-inspiring night into a beautiful morning. Thus, believers celebrate it with first Enkutatash and then Meskel holidays.

The prior season is grey and dull, and is awe-inspiring and often frightening, with lightning and thunder accompanied by powerful rains for a lengthy period. Traditionally, it was believed that death was at hand during this season, and so insecurity and fear ran rampant. The clergymen sing about the dawning of Meskerem because they consider the preceding rainy season a season of darkness.

Within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, many religious services accompany Enkutatash. Liturgical services such as the chanting, preaching, and the explanation of the New Year calendar are performed after the Mass when it is conducted in the morning, and before the Mass when the Mass is conducted in the afternoon.

After the chanting and preaching, the high priest or the Aleka (head) of each church reads the calendar of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which is called Bahre Hassab. This indicates the times of the festivals, and the beginning and end of the fasting days during that year. The same priest then declares the replacement of the old year by the new.

Both Enkutatash and Meskel fall during the mass blooming of golden yellow Meskel daisies known as adey ababa. At the celebrations of Enkutatash and Meskel, children can be heard singing traditional seasonal songs: “Eyoha abebaye / Meskerem tebaye / Meskerem siteba adey sifeneda / Enkuan sew zemedu yieteykal bada…” — roughly translated as “the bright season of September with the fields decorated with blooming flowers encourage people to visit not only kinsmen but friends….”

These words announce the coming of the bright Ethiopian month with its colourful flowers. The song also encourages everybody to pay a visit to relatives, because the now-receding rivers make it easier for people to travel from place to place. The best time of visiting Ethiopia is impeccably this time of the year. Etymologists relate Enkutatash to the visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon of Israel. This New Year celebration as a national holiday is celebrated both by Muslims and Christians.

The festival of Timket falls on Tir 11 (January 19) every year. It is observed in commemoration of Jesus Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan. The celebration of Timket starts on the eve of the main festival. The eve is known as Ketera and taken from the Amharic word ketere meaning to make a dam; it is usual to make a dam in some places where there is not enough river water for the celebration of Timket.

In the afternoon of Ketera the tabots (holy Arks) from each of the churches are taken to a significant water body. Accompanied by a great ceremony, each tabot is carried overhead by a high priest. It is taken to spend the night there, an activity that helps in performing the Timket ceremony, usually done early in the morning — the time Jesus Christ was baptized. The ceremony extends throughout the night and the next day early in the morning the Timket celebration starts.

In Gondar, the bathing palace of Fasilidas is still dedicated to this colourful ceremony. It is still filled with water each year by a canal from the River Keha for the colourful Timket celebration. Besides the baptism of Jesus Christ, the celebration of Timket in Gondar also commemorates the re-baptizing of thousands of people who converted from Catholicism to the Orthodox faith.

Even though Gondar can be visited at any time of the year, the city is a wonderful place to visit during this season as it gives one a chance to witness the colourful ceremonies of the Timket festival. In Addis Ababa, Jan Meda is the ideal place of witnessing the colourful celebration of Timket. In Lalibela it is equally celebrated like that of Christmas with relatively less crowd than the flocking pilgrims of Genna. Traditionally, Timket was known as an important occasion for young adults to choose would-be lovers.

The ceremony begins with the pre-sunrise rituals which include the Kidane (morning prayer) and the Kidase (the divine liturgy). These rituals are followed by the blessing and sprinkling of the blessed water on the assembled congregation in commemoration of Christ’s baptism. According to the interpretation of the Ethiopian Church, the term Timket is taken from the Ge’ez word Asteryo meaning “reveal.” This meaning is associated with the revelation of the Trinity — the unity of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost — during the baptism of Christ.

In Greek, the word “baptism” refers to immersion in water; thus Christ himself was baptized by being immersed in the River Jordan. Consequently, Timket is supposed to be performed by immersion in a body of water. But in most cases, priests usually sprinkle the blessed water over the congregation, except in a few cases where a larger pool is available for immersion — like the bathing palace of Fasilidas in Gondar.

At about 10 or 11 am, each tabot begins the journey back to its respective church. This involves an even more colourful ceremony with a variety of traditional and religious songs. The priests wear astonishing brocade ceremonial clothes and carry decorated umbrellas, while chanting to the accompaniment of drums and the rhythmic clink of the sistrum and other instruments. Although it is colourfully celebrated throughout the country, Timket is highly regarded in Addis Ababa, Lalibela, and Gondar.

There is no significant festival celebrated in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church during Lent, the fasting season before Easter. Debre Zeit (Mount of Olives Day) is observed halfway through Lent in commemoration of the miracles performed by Christ at the Mount of Olives. This day is celebrated with special consideration at the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. In Lalibela this day is a second event of the year when thousands of pilgrims are flowing.

The main holiday of Easter commemorates the resurrection of Christ and the break of Lent. There are a number of events to be observed for about two weeks: one before Easter and another after Easter. The week before Easter is known as Himamat, or Holy Week, to remind the thirteen types of sufferings of Christ before the crucifixion.

Hosa’ena (Palm Sunday) commemorates the entrance of Christ to Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, with zenbaba (palm) spread on the road, escorted by many adults and children. The palm given at each church on this day represents this palm, and the day is known as Palm Sunday.

This day is observed in all churches but is very special and exceptional at the church of Axum Tsion. Siklet (Good Friday) commemorates the crucifixion. Regarded as a New Jerusalem, attending Good Friday and the night ceremony of Easter Sunday in Lalibela is one of the best experiences to trace back centuries-old Christian tradition.