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Orthodoxy in Ethiopia. St. Mary's Church

    The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the Monophysite denominations, close to the Coptic Orthodox Church. According to legend, it arose in the first half of the 4th century. after the inhabitants of Tire Christian missionaries Frumentius and Edesius ended up in... ...

    Ethiopian Orthodox Church- (Ethiopian Orthodox Church), or Abyssinian Church. The Monophysite Christian Church was closely associated with the Coptic Church until the 1950s. did not receive real independence and its own patriarch. Practices certain Jewish traditions... Peoples and cultures

    It is part of the Ancient Eastern Churches. Until 1959 part of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and then autocephaly. Under King Sisinius (1607-1632), it entered into a union with Rome, but the next, King Basil (1632-1667), expelled Catholics from Ethiopia. Divine services... ... Religious terms

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    Priest of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church The Ethiopian (Abyssinian) Orthodox Church was part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, and then autocephalous. Under Tsar Sisinius (1607 1632) it entered into a union with Rome, but the next one, Tsar Vasily (1632 1667), ... ... Wikipedia

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Century by Saint Frumentius, the first bishop of the Abyssinian Church. Frumentius was a Roman citizen from Tire who was shipwrecked on the African coast of the Red Sea. He gained the trust of the Emperor of Aksum and soon converted his son, the future Emperor Ezana, to Christianity, who declared Christianity in the year state religion. Frumentius was subsequently ordained bishop (circa) by St. Athanasius of Alexandria and returned to Ethiopia, where he continued preaching.

Temples

In terms of the multitude of churches, Abyssinia can only be compared with Russia: you will see a church cross on every mountain, on every hill, on every hill. All Abyssinian temples are built far away - at a great distance from the city or village to which they belong; The place chosen for them is certainly elevated and visible. In addition to the quadrangular ones flat roof and carved into the rocks cave temples, the Abyssinians now mostly build round temples, covered with a cone-shaped reed roof, in which the altar is arranged in the middle in the form of a square room with gates to all four corners of the world, and the eastern ones are always locked.

Iconography

The icons are unsightly, naive and bright paintings and are distinguished by extreme squalor; but in general, church utensils are similar to the utensils of Orthodox churches.

Divine service

The Abyssinian Church recognizes seven sacraments, the rites of which are close to the Orthodox. The baptism of a child is performed (mostly through pouring) in conjunction with anointing in the church by a priest: for the male sex on the 40th day, for the female sex on the 80th day. The Abyssinians also perform the rite of circumcision, but, according to the explanation of the defenders of the Abyssinian church from accusing it of Judaism, this circumcision was accepted among the Abyssinians not to fulfill the Mosaic Law, as among the Jews, but for the sake of folk custom. In addition to circumcision, the Ethiopian Church has other religious practices specific to Judaism, such as eating food and observing the Sabbath on the Sabbath (as well as on Sunday). This is probably due to the fact that Christianity came to Ethiopia directly from Palestine through South Arabia. It is believed that Judaism was known in Ethiopia even before the arrival of Christianity.

With the exception of all those peculiarities peculiar to the Abyssinians that are alien to the true Church of Christ, otherwise the doctrine and worship of the Abyssinian, or Ethiopian, church remains close to Orthodoxy, and, according to the testimony of some, modern Abyssinians consider themselves to be completely of the same faith with the Greeks, Russians and others Orthodox peoples, despite the fact that, as Monophysites

  • "The Ethiopian Orthodox Church", from the book by Ronald Robertson, Eastern Christian churches. Church historical directory:
    • http://www.africana.ru/lands/Ethiopia/history_tserkov.htm

    Ronald Robertson. From the book "Eastern Christian Churches. Church Historical Directory"

    Orthodox shrines of Ethiopia

    Axum - Lalibella - Gondar - Lake Tana - Addis Ababa


    Ethiopia is the country of “13 months of the sun” (according to the Ethiopian calendar, the year is divided into 13 months), “the land of legends”, Orthodox history which began 3000 years ago. Translated from ancient Greek, “Ethiopia” means “the country of people with sunburned faces.” Until recently, the country bore the name Abyssinia, which means “non-Aksumite subjects of the Aksumite king.”

    - the only country An African continent that has never been colonized. According to legend, which Ethiopians firmly believe in, the biblical Queen of Sheba is the Queen of Aksum, Makeda, or the Queen of the South. She returned here, to Aksum, after traveling to Jerusalem, where she stayed with Solomon. “And King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba everything that she desired and asked for beyond what King Solomon gave her with his own hands.” From Solomon the queen gave birth to a son, Menelik, the first ruler of Ethiopia. There is a legend that the tomb of the Queen of Sheba is located under one of these monoliths. As a young man, Menelik went to Jerusalem, Solomon recognized his son and received him royally. But, returning to his homeland, Menelik secretly took the Ark of the Covenant with the Tablets of Moses stored in it out of the Jerusalem Temple at night and took it with him. As soon as the Ark reached Ethiopia, “the hearts of the people shone at the sight of Zion, the Ark of the Law of God, and the people of Ethiopia rejected their idols, and they worshiped their Creator, God, who created them. And the Ethiopian men abandoned their works, and loved righteousness and justice, beloved of God” (“Kebra Nagast”, 87).
    Ancient Ethiopia is one of the few, along with the Khazar Khaganate, ethnically diverse countries in which Judaism was adopted as an official religion. And when in the 4th century the kingdom of Aksum, located in the north of the country, switched from Judaism to Christianity, Ethiopia became the third country in the world where Christianity was recognized as the state religion - after Armenia and the Roman Empire. This appeal was reinforced not only by the belief that it was on Ethiopian soil that the Ark of the Covenant was hidden, but also by the rapidly spreading apocrypha, which stated that during the flight to Egypt, the Holy Family - Joseph and Mary with the baby Jesus - reached Ethiopia and found refuge in the northern shores of the Ethiopian Lake Tana.
    Ethiopia is extremely rich in history. The Old Testament mentions that one of the rivers irrigating Paradise flowed through the lands of the Ethiopians. In addition, the very first people lived in these areas - this is evidenced by the oldest fossil remains of australopithecines discovered in the south of Ethiopia in the Omo River valley. The famous "Lucy" from the National Museum in Addis Ababa is 3.2 million years old.


    Day 1. Moscow - Istanbul - Addis Ababa

    14.35 - 15.40 Flight Moscow (Vnukovo) - Istanbul (Turkish Airlines)
    At 18:50 - departure from Istanbul to Addis Ababa.

    Day 2. Addis Ababa - Axum

    At 01:10 - arrival in Addis Ababa.

    Obtaining visas for Russian citizens is possible at the airport upon arrival. Meeting at the airport by a representative of the host company, transfer to the hotel. Hotel accommodation Saro Maria Hotel or similar. Rest.

    Sightseeing tour in the capital of Ethiopia.

    Visit to the former palace of Haile Selassie (Ethiopian emperor who reigned in the 70s of the 20th century). Now the Palace has been turned into an Ethnographic Museum. After lunch, visit one of the oldest churches in Addis Ababa, Ba'ata. Visit to the National Museum.

    Addis Ababa - capital of Ethiopia, translated from Amharic means “new flower”. The city was founded in 1886 by Menelik II. Located at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level in the highest part of the Entoto mountain range. The city is decorated with numerous architectural monuments, including mosques and Christian temples, the palace of Emperor Menelik II (1894), the House of Africa with stained glass windows made in 1963 by the famous Ethiopian artist A. Tekle. National Museum with the remains of the ancestress modern man- Lucy. Her skeleton, found in Ethiopia in 1974, is considered the oldest remains - 3.2 million years old.

    In the evening we will have a traditional dinner with dancing and music.

    Day 3.

    07.55 - 09.25 flight Addis Ababa - Axum
    Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at Yeha or Sabean Hotel. Meeting with a group from Northern Sudan.

    Sightseeing tour of the city of Axum. Dinner.

    Inspection of ancient steles. Visit to the Church of St. Mary of Zion. Return to the hotel. Dinner.

    Originally the capital of the ancient Aksumite kingdom, one of the oldest African empires, the “border” of the two continents of Africa and Asia for a millennium. Subsequently, Aksum is one of the first civilizations where Christianity became the state religion. In the 10th century BC, as the Abyssinian royal chronicle Kebra-Nagast says, the Queen of Sheba (aka Makeda, aka Belkis) gave birth to a son, Menelik, here from King Solomon. They say that King Menelik subsequently took the “Ark of the Covenant” from Jerusalem, and since then it has been secretly kept in a sanctuary next to the Church of the Virgin Mary of Zion, built in the 16th century on the site of the first Christian temple, founded by King Ezana in the 4th century. For Ethiopians, the whole story of the stormy romance between two Old Testament kings and the subsequent theft of the Ark of the Covenant is an indisputable truth, the basis of the Ethiopian national idea. The oldest Bible is kept in Axum, in the domed Church of the Four Beasts (representing the Four Evangelists).
    This book dates back to the 6th century, but the colors of its wonderful illustrations have not faded to this day. It is kept under many covers, and some pages are even lined with silk fabric. The main attractions of Axum are grouped in one place. Church of Mary of Zion, Park of Steles, “Pool of the Queen of Sheba”, behind it is Caleb’s tomb. The Palace of the Queen of Sheba is located almost outside the city.

    Park of steles - monoliths-obelisks. Scientists believe that the construction of the steles was associated with the death of members of ancient royal families, and the obelisks also had an astronomical function. The largest “multi-story” stele is about 23 meters high, the most beautiful, which brought Aksum world fame. The 24-meter-tall stella was taken to Italy in 1937 and is now in Rome. All the steles date back to the first centuries AD, when the Aksumite kingdom began to develop and expand so rapidly that its neighbors had to make room. In the West, the Aksumites subjugated the kingdom of Meroe with the black pyramids in Sudan, and in the East, having crossed the Red Sea, they subjugated the state of Gimyar, i.e., in fact, their ancestral homeland, bordering Sheba (Sava). The military expedition of King Kaleb to South Arabia was intended to protect Christians from the repression of local pagan sovereigns. From this king, who ruled in the 6th century, a tomb has been preserved, into which one goes down the stairs, lighting the way with candles, which are given out by the caring “custodian of the tomb.” They say that underground passages lead from it to the North, to the border with Eritrea.

    Day 4. Axum - Lalibela

    Breakfast.

    09:00 - meeting with the guide and transfer to the airport.

    11:00-11:45 flight to Lalibela. Arrival in Lalibela. Meeting at the airport
    representative of the host company and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at Mountain View Hotel or similar. Dinner. Sightseeing tour of the city of Lalibela. Visit to the “rock churches” (first group). In the evening return to the hotel. Dinner.

    located at an altitude of 2600 meters above sea level. At the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, Lalibela ruled, after whom the city was named. In the Agau language, his name roughly means: “bees testify to his high destiny.” According to legend, immediately after birth, a swarm of bees flew up to the child’s cradle, but did not bite the baby, but respectfully circled in the distance, and the mother considered this a good omen. The ruler began building churches, cutting them entirely out of the rock. Now 11 “monolithic” churches, pink in color from the volcanic tuff from which they were carved, are considered one of the wonders of the world. 6 temples are included in the so-called “northern group of churches” (Bete-Maryam, Madhane Alem, etc.), 4 - in the “eastern” (Bete-Emmanuel, Abba Libanos, Bete Marcories, Gabriel Rufael), and not far from the last one there is a lonely standing church St. George. The largest of the churches, the Church of Christ the Savior ("Bete Madhane Alem"), reaches a length of 33.7 meters, a width of 23.7 meters and a height of 11.6 meters. The most revered is the Church of the Virgin Mary ("Bete Maryam"), where the windows are shaped like Roman and Greek crosses, swastikas and wicker crosses. The church stands in a large courtyard, which, with incredible effort, was carved right into the rock. Later, the Church of the Cross ("Bete Meskel") was carved into the northern wall of the courtyard.

    On the opposite side of the courtyard is the Church of the Virgin Mary ("Bete Denagul"), dedicated to the torment of the Blessed Virgin. Through the labyrinth tunnel you can go to other rock temples associated with the courtyard. The Church of St. George ("Bete Giyorgis"), the patron saint of Ethiopians, Georgians and the British, is carved in the form of a cruciform tower with equal cross members. It was first cut out as a solid block in the rock, then it was given the shape of a Greek cross, and finally the inside was hollowed out. The roof of the church is located at ground level, but the church itself stands in a deep hole, and can only be reached through a tunnel.

    Day 5. Lalibela

    Breakfast. Excursion to the Asheton Maryam cave monastery in the outskirts of Lalibela - a 3-hour walk (climbing the mountains) either on foot or on mules.

    In your free time, you can visit the market and see the different nationalities of the entire region. Dinner. In the afternoon Lalibela Tour (continued) - visit to the second group of Lalibela rock churches, dinner and return to the Mountain View Hotel.

    Day 6. Lalibela - Gondar

    Breakfast.


    09:30 Meeting with guide and transfer to the airport.

    12:00-12:45 flight from Lalibela to Gondar.

    Arrival in Gondar. Meeting at the airport by a representative of the host company. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation at Taye Belay Hotel or similar. Dinner.

    Sightseeing tour of the city of Gondar. Visit to the palaces, residence and baths of Fasilidas. Visit to Debre Berham Selassie Church. Return to the hotel. Dinner. Gondar is the first capital of the Ethiopian Empire. The center of Gondar is the Royal City - a vast complex of fairly well-preserved palaces, offices, libraries and churches, surrounded by a stone wall. A lion coop has been preserved in the center of the Royal City. The lion is a symbol of the ancient Solomon dynasty, dating back to the times of the Aksumite kingdom. By tradition, Ethiopian emperors always kept lions at the royal court. The beginning of its construction dates back to the thirties of the 17th century and is associated with the name of King Fasilidas, who with his reign ushered in an era full of contradictions, “brilliance and poverty,” which lasted almost two centuries and grew into the “Ethiopian revival” under Menelik the Second. It can be said that the era of Addis Ababa was preceded by the era of Gondar. This was a time of intense European penetration into Abyssinia. Among the attractions of Gondar are the Fasilidas Palace, the building in the “Gothic” style of the Johannis Library (XVIII century) and the Palace of Iyasu II (also XVIII century).

    The university is adjacent to the Royal City. 2 kilometers from the city center there are baths built by Fasilidas - a calm, quiet place. These baths are today the most famous place for Timkat (Christmas) celebrations in Ethiopia. The charming little church of Debre Berhan Selassie, built in the 17th century, is a real “Gondar school of art”. All the walls and ceiling of this church are covered with paintings that are included in the treasury of Abyssinian art.

    The ceiling, including the beams, is painted with the faces of cherubs with big eyes. The eyes in Abyssinian iconography are a special detail - they are full of meekness and kindness. Even the crusaders on the frescoes in Debre Berkhan Selassie have them, although the crusaders for the most part were neither meek nor kind.

    Day 7. Gondar - Bahir Dar

    Breakfast. Transfer Gondar - Bahir Dar. Accommodation at Home Land Hotel or similar. Lunch. Visit to the Nile Falls and several islands. Dinner.


    Bahir Dar- a resort town, which is located at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level on the shores of Lake Tana, imbued with an atmosphere of relaxation and tranquility.

    Overnight at Home Land Hotel or similar.

    Day 8. Bahir Dar

    Breakfast. Boat excursion on Lake Tana. Visit to several ancient monasteries. Lunch during the excursion.

    Lake Tana- the largest in area in Ethiopia. It is famous for the fact that about 20 of the 37 islands on the lake are home to wonderful Orthodox monasteries. Many of them were founded in the 16th-17th centuries. There are islands where only men are allowed, but basically everyone can visit the monasteries. The churches on the islands are round wooden buildings with cone-shaped thatched roofs, the 4 walls of which are painted with bright frescoes with scenes from the Bible. One of the most sacred monasteries is Dek Stefanos on the island of Dega Estefanos, which contains a collection of paintings, icons and manuscripts, as well as the mummified remains of some Ethiopian emperors.

    Transfer to the airport.
    19.00 -20.00 flight Bahir Dar - Addis Ababa.

    Day 9. Addis Ababa

    02.10 - 06.40 Flight Addis - Ababa - Istanbul.
    08.35 - 13.25 Flight Istanbul - Moscow (Vnukovo)



    Pairs well with a tour "Volcanoes of Ethiopia"
    Pairs well with a tour "Tribes of Ethiopia"
    Pairs well with a tour "Northern Sudan. Pearl of the Nile"

    Tour cost per person based on double occupancy:
    1250 USD
    (Price valid from four people)

    Supplement for single occupancy: 250 USD

    44,000 rub. - cost of air tickets Moscow - Addis Ababa - Moscow

    680 USD - Domestic flights - Addis Ababa - Axum; Aksum - Lalibela; Lalibela - Gondar; Bahir Dar - Addis Ababa;

    The cost of booked but not purchased air tickets (international and domestic) may change.


    The tour price includes:

    • Good hotels with the best location;

    • Services of a local Russian-speaking guide-translator accompanying the group along the entire route;

    • Services of local English-speaking guides;

    • All excursions and transfers according to the program;

    • Transport - 12-seater bus;

    • Meals - breakfasts;
    • Government taxes.

    The tour price does not include:

    Ethiopia visa (For citizens Russian Federation visa is issued at the border - about $25);

    Drinks, tips for drivers and guides, fees for the use of photo and video cameras, other expenses.

    Medical requirements:

    Before traveling, you must be vaccinated against yellow fever (at least 10 days before your intended entry into the country).

    To participate in the tour, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of the trip.

    This tour combines well with the Tribes of Ethiopia tour and "Volcanoes of Ethiopia".


    Only in one African country The absolute majority of the population has long professed Orthodoxy. This country is Ethiopia. About twenty million of its citizens belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Ethiopians are Monophysites. That is, unlike Catholics and most Orthodox Christians, for whom two principles are united in Jesus Christ - divine and human, parishioners of the Ethiopian Church consider Him only God.
    According to legend, which Ethiopians firmly believe in, the biblical Queen of Sheba is the Queen of Aksum, Makeda, or the Queen of the South. She returned here, to Aksum, after traveling to Jerusalem, where she stayed with Solomon. “And King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba everything that she desired and asked for beyond what King Solomon gave her with his own hands.” From Solomon the queen allegedly gave birth to a son, Menelik, the first ruler of Ethiopia. Since the reign of Makeda, only the huge Mai Shum pool, carved into granite rock, remained in Axum, in which she supposedly escaped the heat. It is unknown when this building became a Christian shrine, but on the holiday of Timkat, Epiphany, believers flock here to perform a ritual ablution. True, for the last few years there has been a raging drought in the country and Mai Shum has not been seen filled with water for a long time. You have to fill the jugs with muddy slurry and use them to perform the ritual. Next to the pool are the famous steles of Aksum, carved from solid stone. At the foot there are recesses for offerings from believers. The largest stele fell, the second largest was taken away by the Italian fascists in 1937. There is a legend that the remains of the Queen of Sheba rest under one of these monoliths. The decline of Aksum began in the 7th century. The Arab tribes that were once at war with each other united under the banner of Islam. They invaded North Africa, and from that time on rapid Islamization began. Christian Aksum found itself surrounded by Muslim peoples. He lost a significant part of his territories and access to the sea. From the north, from Eritrea, the country was constantly attacked by the Beya nomads. History repeats itself. Today's Ethiopia, after its northern province of Eritrea declared itself independent, has also virtually lost access to the sea and is also waging a grueling war to regain it.

    Present-day Axum is a small provincial town. In addition to its antiquities, it is also famous for the fact that the last Ethiopian emperor Haile Silassie erected the largest orthodox cathedral Africa, the so-called New Temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary. One can argue about its architectural merits, but its acoustics are excellent.

    The servants of the New Temple showed us the icon. The scene depicted on it, admittedly, surprised us: Menelik steals the Ark of the Covenant from his father, King Solomon. The same one in which the tablets with the Ten Commandments received by Moses from God were kept. There is no mention of Menelik’s feat either in the Bible or in historical chronicles. But the possession of this shrine allows the Ethiopians to consider themselves the chosen people.

    Since the time of Menelik, the Ark, or what the Ethiopians call the Ark, has been kept in Aksum. Especially for him, Emperor Vasily built the Church of the Virgin Mary of Zion, which is called Old church. Forty years ago, the Ark of the Covenant was moved to a small chapel next door. The shrine is treasured like the apple of one's eye. Only the guardian of the Ark is allowed to enter the chapel. The position of custodian is for life. Before his death, he chooses his own successor.

    The protection of the Ark and church values ​​is the constant concern of the community, all of whose affairs are discussed at the council of worthy men, the mahabbara. It is collected at least once a month here, in the square next to the chapel. Men of “appropriate age, who do no evil, whose soul is beautiful and quiet” are allowed to attend the mahabbar. Women do not take part in discussions of community affairs and stand on the sidelines. However, they have their own mahabbaras. Such a meeting is a significant event in the life of the village; it is a kind of holiday to which guests from other communities are even invited. At first they treated us warily, but upon learning that we were from an Orthodox country, they allowed us to stay. The mahabbar ends when everyone has spoken. This time, after much debate, it was decided to allocate money to the chapel guard for cartridges for his Kalashnikov assault rifle, so that he would have something to meet the robbers. Christianity came to Axum in the 4th century. The first Christian emperors of Ethiopia also ruled the country from here, from Aksum. On the top of a hill near the city there is a tomb of two kings - Kaleb and his son Gabra-Mascal. Both of them were true zealots of the faith. That, however, did not stop them from caring about earthly goods. According to legend, the cool, dark galleries served as a treasury for the emperors. There are about 20 thousand temples in Ethiopia. Among them there are especially revered ones; pilgrims come to them from afar. Every Abyssinian Christian has his own spiritual father, or confessor, who must be a priest, for example, from the nearest church. The church is the main center of the city and village life. The priest, kes, enjoys great respect among the people. He lives modestly, like a simple peasant. Each church is served by at least two priests and three deacons. There is a keeper of church utensils - gabaz, in our opinion a sacristan, and a treasurer - aggafari. When you enter an Ethiopian temple, you enter a keneh mehlet - a place where psalms are sung. A red curtain separates the kene mekhlet from the altar. There the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated. Behind the keddest is Magdas - this is the holy of holies. The tabot, symbolizing the Ark of the Covenant, is kept there. Only priests have the right to enter the magdas. If one of the laity penetrates it, and, God forbid, sees the tabot, the church will be considered desecrated. Church services very long. Therefore, churches have large number staves for old people - it is difficult for them to stand for 5-6 hours. The walls of old churches, such as Debra Berhan Silassie, are usually decorated with paintings. Artists in those distant times had a completely different idea of ​​proportions and did not know perspective and volume. We find something similar in Russian icon painting.
    Ethiopia is a poor country. There are beggars at every turn here. There are especially many of them near churches. The guide advised us to stock up on small bills - one Birr at a time. This is approximately 4 rubles. The amount is insignificant, but you can live on it for a day, or even two. We didn’t have enough for all the small bills, so a fight almost broke out between the beggars. From now on, we made it a rule to distribute alms discreetly. Local Christians revere Old Testament just as zealously as the New one. They keep the commandments of Moses and Christ. They are not allowed to eat pork; they circumcise their children on the eighth day of birth. A good Christian marries his brother's widow and does not appear in church after sexual intercourse.
    Gondar. Tolkien used this place name in The Lord of the Rings. This is the name given to the kingdom of the Dunadin in Middle-earth. The Kingdom of Rohan in the novel also took its name from the ancient Ethiopian city. Ten centuries ago it was renamed Lalibela. Legend says that in those distant times here in royal family an heir was born. As soon as he was born, he was surrounded by a swarm of bees. The amazed mother exclaimed: “Lalibela,” which means “the bees recognized his dominion.” “One day Lalibela’s soul heard the voice of God,” the guide said. “The Creator ordered the king to build a new Jerusalem. This is how their Jordan, Golgotha, Mount of Olives and amazing temples carved into the rock appeared here.”
    There is an legend that the creation of the temple complex was greatly facilitated by the Knights of the Templar Order, who arrived here from Jerusalem specifically for this purpose. It is impossible to imagine that all this was done by human hands. First, the stonemasons made deep cracks that separated the Cyclopean stone blocks from the rock. And entire church buildings were cut down from these blocks. Among the 11 temples, no two are alike; they are located on different levels and connected by tunnels. The largest building of the complex is the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Beta Medanealem. It contains the cross of Lalibela, with which this half-monk-half-king never parted. Believers consider it miraculous, curing all diseases. From Beta Medanealem, through a passage in the rock, you can enter the vast courtyard of the church of Beta Mariam, the Virgin Mary. There is a pool here, swimming in which, according to local beliefs, relieves infertility. The windows of the temple are crosses of different shapes. There are also swastikas here. Inside the Church of the Virgin Mary, there is a stone pillar hidden from view by a heavy cover. The priest claims that the pillar is covered with writings that tell the story of how the rock churches were created. The veil is never removed - it is considered sacrilege. Therefore, the secret of the ancient masters has not yet been solved. At the Beta Mariam Church we were shown a copy of the local tabot. During major holidays, the priests take out the tabot itself wrapped in colored fabrics and walk around the church with it three times. Without the tabot, the ark, the temple is an empty shell, a dead building. They also talk about the influence of Judaism on the rituals of the Ethiopians. church clothes- they almost exactly repeat the description of the attire of the Israeli priests in the Bible - an ascema, a confidant, is worn over a long suit. It is decorated, however, not precious stones, like the Jews, but embroidered with crosses. Under the breastplate, Abyssinian priests wear a kenat, a belt. It corresponds to the sash of the Jewish high priest. Having learned that a film crew from Russia was working in his diocese, the Archbishop of Lalibela came to bless us. Unfortunately, the meeting was short-lived - urgent matters awaited him. The temple complex is united complex system tunnels and passages. It doesn't cost anything to stumble upon a crypt here. Next to the half-abandoned Adam's Chapel is Bete Golgota - the Church of Golgotha. The relics of Lalibela and relics associated with her are kept here. After some persuasion, the priests showed us the saint’s staff and cross. Golgotha ​​is always crowded. Believers come here to ask Lalibela for help and protection. Lalibela was the name of one of the kings, who was remembered by the Ethiopians for his unparalleled wisdom and righteousness. During his lifetime, numerous miracles occurred, described in the chronicles. The famous stone-carved churches are associated with the name of the legendary monarch. In the state, Lalibela is revered as the greatest of saints. In Ethiopian temples it is not customary to place candles in front of images of saints. But candles are still lit there - when they read a prayer book or psalter. The liturgical language of Ge'ez is now poorly understood by parishioners, but everyone can read church texts. Ethiopian icons are more like impressively sized paintings made on canvas. On holidays, when prayer services are held, they are taken out into the street.

    The most striking of all the churches in the temple complex is Beta Giorgis (St. George). She is somewhat out of the way. In plan, the temple - this is clearly visible from above - is a cross measuring 12x12 meters. The height, or rather, the depth of the building is also 12 meters. A deep corridor cut into the rock leads to the entrance. In Ethiopia, people only enter temples barefoot. While the parishioners pray, a boy specially appointed for this purpose looks after the shoes.

    Many pilgrims stay in Lalibela for several days, or even weeks. Cells were carved into the rocks especially for them. People live in these dark cells, sleep on dirty rags, eat whatever they bring to them. There are also those who come to these holy places to die. From time to time a hermit appears in Lalibela. For the Ethiopian, he is the messenger of God. A hermit can come to a village in the middle of the night and scream: “A terrible punishment awaits you! Repent!” And people will humbly begin to repent. If God reveals something to him in a dream, the hermit is obliged to inform the laity about it.
    As we have already said, every Christian Ethiopian has spiritual father. People turn to him for advice and give him gifts. If a person has committed an unworthy act, the spiritual father may order him, for example, to sacrifice a certain amount poor. We were lucky: the wedding ceremony took place in the Church of Christ the Savior. The new husband is a deacon. In Ethiopia, those wishing to tie the knot in a church marriage must wait a year - it is believed that during this time the newlyweds will be able to test their feelings. After all, after the wedding, the union can no longer be dissolved. This may be why most Ethiopians prefer civil marriage to church marriage. The life of this people has changed little over the past few centuries. As before, the main shrine of the Ethiopians remains the Ark of the Covenant. They paint strange icons, dance in churches, don’t light candles, cross themselves differently, they circumcise their children and don’t eat pork. And yet, Ethiopians are Orthodox Christians, even if their Orthodoxy is somewhat different from the one to which we are accustomed.