Ethiopian Timkat procession in Addis Abeba Ethiopia 1

Timkat Epiphany,
At Ketera the eve of epiphany,the holy tabots of the rock hewn churches are brought out in procession and carried to the banks of the river Jordan
These engraved slabs of stone or wood represent the tables of the law that in in old testament times were supposedly conveyed to Ethiopia in the ark of covent
The tabots are wrapped in richly embroidered silks anfd fine gold ald silk brocades whenever they are brought into a public place
The tabots are installed in a special erected tent overnight while the priests keep up a long vigl of prayer
then around dawn mass and communion are held aftr which the baptismal ceremony of epiphany proper begin
In this fashion amid great poverty but with undiminished conviction the 2000 year old rite of baptisssm continues to be conducted in Ethiopia today
The last day of the festival the ark will be brought back into the church

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Ethiopia
• ritual
• ancient
• Christianity
• Christian
• religion
• relic
• sacred
• festival
• Timkat
• epiphany
• Addis
• Abeba
• africa

[royaltize]

What a magnificent scene, beautiful, ancient ,christians praising the Lord!

[noirrosa]

I would love to have seen this in person

[mokumtv]

Fantastic! And such a great quality!