Christian festivals |
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Enkutatesh (New Year Celebration) ; it is the celebration of Ethiopian New Year which falls every year Meskerem 1st (September 1st Ethiopian Calendar) or September 11th or 12th (Gregorian Calendar) depending on the leap year.
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Meskel (the finding of the true cross) Masqal is said to be in memory of the finding of the true cross by Empress Eleni of Ethiopia. |
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Hidar Tsion (St. Mary celebration in Axum) ; it is colorfully celebrated every year November 30. The celebration takes place for the coming of the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia. It was also on this day the first historical St. Mary church was built with 12 sanctuaries. |
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Genna (Christmas) ; officially known by the Church as Baal Lidet (Ethiopian Christmas) is on the 7th of January. |
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Timket (Ethiopian Epiphany) ; which falls on the 19th of January is the day when Christians celebrate the baptism of Christ.
This is the greatest festival of the year, falling on 19 January, just two weeks after the Ethiopian Christmas. It is actually a three-day affair, beginning on the Eve of Timkat with dramatic and colorful processions. The following morning the great day itself, Christ's baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist is commemorated. The third day is devoted to the Feast of St. Michael, the archangel, one of Ethiopia's most popular saints. |
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Hosanna (Palm Sunday) ; it is celebrated before a week of Easter. It commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ with the disciples into Jerusalem. People welcomed Jesus by spreading palm branches. The best place to observe this ceremony is at Entoto St. Mary in Addis Ababa and St. Mary Zion Church in Axum. |
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Fasika (Easter), it is the celebration of Jesus Christ resurrection. This festival is observed after 55 days of fasting. |
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Muslims Festivals |
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Id Al Fatar (Id-ul-Fitr) ; means the 'festival of breaking the fast'. The fast of Ramadan is broken with special prayers and festivities. 'Fitr' is derived from the word 'fatar' meaning 'breaking'. Another connotation suggests that it is derived from fitrah or 'alms'. Certain Sunni Muslims believe that fitr comes from fitrat meaning 'nature' and Id-ul-Fitr is the celebration of god's magnanimity in providing nature to man. Celebrated on the first day of the new moon in Shawwal, it marks the end of Ramadan. |
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Eid al Adhha this religious event begins about 70 days after the end of Ramadan and is dedicated to Abraham's sacrifice of a sheep in place of his son. This event lasts for four days. |
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Birth of Prophet Mohammad/Maulid ; The birthday of the founder of Islam is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy in all Muslims country throughout the world. However the date for the holiday changes every year because Islamic holidays are based on the Hijri calendar. |
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Public holidays |
December 8 the Shining Diversity of peoples of Ethiopia |
March 2 Victory of Adwa
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The Battle of Adwa was fought on 1 March 1896 between Ethiopia and Italy near the town of Adwa, Ethiopia, in Tigray. It was the climactic battle of the First Italo–Ethiopian War.
Of all the African powers, only the ancient kingdom of Ethiopia remained completely free from European domination by the end of the 19th century. This was no accident of history; Ethiopia secured its sovereignty by inflicting a decisive and humiliating defeat upon the Italian invaders at Adowa (or Adwa) on March 1, 1896. The battle at Adowa was, at the time, the greatest defeat inflicted upon a European army by an African army since the time of Hannibal, and its consequences were felt well into the 20th century. As an example of colonial warfare on an epic scale, it cannot be surpassed. As an example of the twin follies of arrogance and underestimation of one's enemies, it should never be forgotten. |
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May 5 Patriots Day |
Ethiopia, which Italy had unsuccessfully tried to conquer in the 1890s, was in 1934 one of the few independent states in a European-dominated Africa. A border incident between Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland that December 1933 gave Benito Mussolini an excuse to intervene. Rejecting all arbitration offers, the Italians invaded Ethiopia on Oct. 3, 1935.
The occupation of Ethiopia by Italy triggered a resistance by Ethiopian patriots led by such gallant personalities as Ras Abebe Aregay, Belay Zeleke, Abdis Aaga etc. and lasted for five years until the Italian forces were finally defeated in May 5 1941. |
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May 28 the Down fall of the Derge |
The down fall of the Military Regime of Derge. |
Tribal and other events |
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Irecha (Thanks giving to God) One of the prominent Oromo Society core cultures which is widely celebrated every year in September on Sunday following the finding of the true cross festival. |
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Chambalaalla-Fichee ; the Sidama peoples New Year Celebration at Gudmale, Awassa. Chambalaalla is a day where series of cultural festivities take place. Fichchee is the eve of Cambalaalla. Sidaama exercises lunar system of calendar. There is no fixed date for it but an ascetic group of elders, after dealing with the movements of moon, star and other sky bodies, declare the eve of Chambalaalla-Fichee |
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The 1000 Stars Music and Dance Festivals in Arba Minch ; which encourages the practice, preservation and development of traditional dance. |
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Pilgrimages
Pilgrimages are very common both by Ethiopian Muslims and by Orthodox Christmas. In both case, there are a large number of pilgrimages centers. The major ones are described in the tables below. |
Pilgrimage Site |
Date of the Feast |
Reasons for Celebrations and other descriptions |
Axum Tsion Mariam |
November 30 (Hidar 21) |
The commemoration of the miracle done by the Ark of the Covenant against the Philistines idols as stated in the Holy Bible |
Lalibela (Debre Roha) |
January 7 (Tahesas 29) |
The commemoration of the birthday of Saint Lalibela that coincided with the birth date of Jesus Christ. |
Gishen Mariam |
October 1 (Meskerem 21) |
The commemoration of the coming of the True Cross into Ethiopia and the consecration of the Churches in the names of Saint Mary and God the Father. |
Kuliby Gebriel |
January 28 (Tahsas 19) and July (Hamle 19) |
The commemoration of the miracles done by Saint Gabreil as it is stated in a book dedicated to his miracle (Dirsane Gabriel). |
Debre Libanos Monastery |
January 2 (Tahsas 24) and August 30 (Nahassie 24) |
The commemoration of the birth (January 2) and death (August 30) days of Saint Tekle Haimanot.
Ginbot (May) 12 is also celebrated to remember the transfer of the body of the Saint from Debre Asebot to Debre Libanos. |
Ziquala Abune Gebre Menfes Kidus Monastery |
October 15 (Tikimt 5) and March 14 (Megabit 5) |
The commemoration of the birth (October 15) and death (March 14) dates of Saint Gebre Menfes Qidus. |
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There is well-established and age-long tradition by the Orthodox faithful in that numerous people from every corner of the country undertake the pilgrimage to the aforementioned and other sites to attend religious ceremonies, to get spiritual blessings, to fulfill a vow and so on. During the festivities, the crowned deacons and priests are decorated with pretty clothes, all of them under the ritual protections of multi-colour umbrellas. In each of the pilgrimages sites, the ceremony has its own special songs expressed mainly through ritual dances with the rhythmical beats of sisturms and drums. |
Pilgrimage Site |
Descriptions |
Sheik Hussien Shrine and Sof Omar cave in Bale |
Sof Omar is an important Islamic shrine named after Sheik Sof-Omar, who took refuge here many centuries ago
The main pilgrimage to sheik Hussein’s Shrine takes place at the end of the February or the beginning of March, the time when the Sheik was died. There is also a pilgrimage at the end of the summer coinciding with the birth of Prophet Muhammad.
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Nejashi |
It is said to have been the first Islamic settlement in Ethiopia
It was the place where the first Muslim refugees were given asylum in Ethiopia.
The site presently contains tombs and recently constructed Mosques on the top of the mountain. |
Harar |
Harar is considered as one of the holiest cities of Islamic world
There are more than 90 mosques in Harer including the 13th century Grand Mosques. There are also tombs of Abu Said (the 16th century Muslim ruler) and the Mausoleum of Emir Nur Ibn al-Wazir Mujahid (the one who built the Jegol Wall). |
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