Religious Holidays

VET strongly believes that the best way to really be part of Ethiopian culture is through its many festivals and religious ceremonies. These events can be visited in conjunction with other sites around the country. To this end, we have provided major holidays below that may be integrated into any one of our tours.
The major religious events in Ethiopia are linked to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, whose history goes back to the 3rd century. Due to their strong beliefs, celebrations and festivals play an important part in daily life. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church ceremonies are unique and impressive, especially Timket, Genna and Meskel. During these festivals, religious followers and priests dress in traditional costume and celebrate festivals across the country.
Other holidays include Enkutatash (New Year) and Fasika (Easter). The Islamic Islamic tradition also celebrates religious festivals in the Ethiopian calendar, notably, Muharram, Milad-an-Nabi and Eid-ul-Fitr.

Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Years)
Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Years) September 11th (September 1st on the Ethiopian Calendar) New Year not only marks the end of the calendar but the end of the rainy season. Enkutatash is also considered a religious holiday that commemorates John the Baptist. Enkutatash is also a day for young boys and girls to sing and dance and exchange New Year greetings.

Meskel (Finding of the True Cross)
September 27th (September 17th on the Ethiopian Calendar) Meskel is celebrated by dancing, feasting and lighting a massive bonfire known in Ethiopian tradition as the damera. Meskel commemorates the finding of the True Cross in the fourth century when Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, discovered the True Cross on which Christ was crucified. The celebration of Meskel signifies the presence of the True Cross at mountain of Gishen Mariam monastery and also symbolises the events carried out by Empress Helena.
According to tradition, Empress Helena lit incense and prayed for assistance to guide her. The smoke drifted towards the direction of the buried cross. She dug and found three crosses; one of them was the True Cross used to crucify Jesus Christ. Empress Helena then gave a piece of the True Cross to all churches, including the Ethiopian Church. This piece was then brought to Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian legend, those who laid eyes upon the piece of the True Cross were immediately stripped of their clothing. Because of this, a decision was made to bury it at the mountain of Gishen Mariam monastery in Wollo region, where an ancient book has documented the story of the True Cross of Christ and how it was acquired.
Addis Ababa is the site of the largest Meskel celebration in the city center, where thousands of believers gather to romp in the ashes of the bonfire.

Kulubi (Feast of Saint Gabriel)
December 28th (December 19th on the Ethiopian Calendar)
The feast of Saint Gabriel the Archangel culminates in a pilgrimage to Kulubi, about 68km from Dire Dawa. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians mark the celebration with colorful processions and ceremonies. Pilgrims walk up the hill to the church to fulfill their vows and give gifts to the church. Some pilgrims carry heavy rocks on their back up the hill to the church.

Lidet or Genna (Christmas)
January 7th (December 29th on the Ethiopian Calendar)
Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated following a 43-day fast known as Tsome Gahad (the advent), with a spectacular procession, which begins at 6 AM and lasts until 9 AM. It is especially bombastically celebrated in Lalibela (a holy city for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians), and many people from all over the country make a pilgrimage on foot and by different means of transportations to share the blessing. The chanting and dancing made by the priest around the rock-hewn churches is very memorable. After Christmas mass, people go home to break the fast with meat of chicken or lamb or beef accompanied with injera and the traditional drinks (i.e. tela or tej).

Timket (Epiphany)
January 19th (January 11th on the Ethiopian Calendar)
Timket is one of the most important festivals in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It commemorates Christ's baptism by St. John in the Jordan River. Timket is celebrated two weeks after Lidet (Ethiopian Christmas) and begins on the eve of the holiday with massive processions through the streets. The holy tabot, the replica of the Ark of the Covenant, is removed from every church in the country the day before the celebration and taken to a central area where the ceremony will take place. The following morning, the church officials, resplendent in their gorgeous regalia, assemble around the Tabot and sprinkle holy water on the Christians. Timket is an especially beautiful celebration in the cities of Gonder, Axum and Lalibela, however the day is revered anywhere there is an Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Fasika (Easter)
55 days after Lent (mid-April)
Fasika is celebrated after 55 days of fasting during which Orthodox Christians do not eat meat or dairy products. Vegetarian meals such as lentils, ground split peas, grains, fruit and varieties of vegetable stew accompanied by injera and/or bread are only eaten on these days. During the fast, the first meal of the day is taken after 3pm except Saturdays and Sundays, when a meal is allowed after the morning service.
On Easter eve people go to church and light candles during Easter mass, which begins at about 6pm and ends at about 8pm. Like the other festivals, Easter is especially colorful in the holy cities of Axum and Lalibela.
After mass, everyone goes home to break the fast with the meat of chicken or lamb, slaughtered the previous night, accompanied with injera and traditional alcoholic drinks. Like Christmas, Easter is also a day of family reunion, who often exchange gifts with one another.