ETHIOPIAN CELEBRATIONS

Enkutatash – Ethiopian New Year (September 11^th)

Festival Origins – Tracing its roots to the Queen of Sheba’s return, the festival signifies the replenishing of her treasury with jewels.

Celebrate the dawning of a new year with Ethiopian Celebration Days amidst the vibrant festivities of Enkutatash. This festival is a jubilant mixture of renewal and tradition.

• Dressed in brand-new attire, Ethiopian children dance through villages, gifting bouquets and painting pictures for each household.
• September 11 also marks the feast of St John the Baptist, known as Enkutatash, meaning the “gift of jewels.”
• As the rains bid farewell, villages reanimate with dancing, singing, and bonfires.

The Raguel Church on Entoto Mountain and the 14th-century Kidus Yohannes church in Genet host colourful processions and religious Cultural Events in Ethiopia. It symbolizes the spirit of springtime and the mark of rejuvenation.

Modern Traditions – Enkutatash ushers in a season for exchanging New Year greetings and cards in urban areas.

Ethiopian Christmas – Genna (07^th January)

Be a part of a timeless Ethiopian Christmas Celebration! The country, following the ancient Julian calendar, observes Christmas on January 7th, a day known as Genna or Ledet.

• Donned in their finest, towns and villages come together for an early morning mass.
• This is preceded by a 43-day fasting period for clergy, creating a reflective spiritual atmosphere.
• Witness the procession of the Tabot, symbolizing the Ark of the Covenant, amidst howls and dazzling attire.
• Afterwards, merrymakers disperse for feasts featuring Doro Wat, injera, and tej.

Feast of Unity – Genna adopts a quiet, intimate celebration with small-scale gift exchanges, highlighting the joy of giving and sharing.

Fasika – Easter (In May, Date Varies)

Experience Ethiopian Orthodox Celebrations and learn about the 55-day fasting journey with Orthodox Christians (they make up about 67.3 % of the overall religion numbers).

• During the fasting period, vegetarian meals dominate, leading up to the grand Easter eve.
• Churches are lit up with candles during a colourful mass.
• And, as the clock strikes 6 PM, families break their fast with joyous feasts featuring chicken or lamb.
• This Religious Festival in Ethiopia marks the end of the earnest fasting period.

Symbolic Offerings – The exchange of symbolic gifts – lamb, goat, or bread becomes a heartfelt expression of familial bonds.

Meskel – Finding Of The True Cross (September 26^th and 27^th)

Another addition to the Ethiopian Orthodox Celebrations, Meskel plays out over the course of two days, commencing on September 26^th.

• Legend tells of Queen Helena’s discovery of the true cross in 326, celebrated with bonfires known as Demera and marked by the fall of lit bundles.
• On the day of this Cultural Event in Ethiopia, people use ashes from the bonfires to mark crosses on their heads.
• The festival is a riot of colours, with flowers, bonfires, and the blooming Meskel daisies.

Best Locations to Experience this on Ethiopia Safari Vacations – Addis Ababa, Axum, Lalibela, and along the Historic Route.

Timkat – Ethiopian Epiphany (January 19^th or 20^th)

Revel in the celebration of yet another wonderful Religious Festival in Ethiopia – the vibrant celebration of the Baptism of Christ. This event occurs on January 19^th (Jan 20^th during the leap years).

• Ketera, the eve of Timkat sees the march of Tabots to rivers or pools.
• This is followed by hymns, dances, and elaborate ceremonies.
• On Timkat Day, a mass is held at dawn, followed by a priest blessing the water and a symbolic baptismal renewal.
• The march, traditional dances, and the return of the Tabot on January 20^th completes this 3-day Cultural Event in Ethiopia.

Historical Insight – Timkat is a unique celebration that echoes ancient rites and stands as a distinctive ceremony of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Visitors can see this event during Ethiopia Historical Tours.