Ethiopian and Rastafarian Holy Days and Holidays
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Mawlid al-Nabi
(Birth of the
Prophet)
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Rastafarians observe this as a holiday.
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January 19th
January 20th in a
leap year
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Timket is a religious festival celebrated with much zeal in Addis Ababa, Gondar, and
Lalibela in Ethiopia. It is also spelled as Timkat or Timqat. The festival is the Ethiopian
Orthodox celebration of Epiphany and venerates Christ's baptism in the River Jordan.
Although the festival is observed by orthodox Christians all over the world, in Ethiopia
it takes on a special significance as it is the most colourful event of the year in the
country. The most relevant symbol of the festival is colourful embroidered umbrellas
that protect the sacred Tabot and the priests carrying the Tabot.
Source: http://journeymart.com/holidays-ideas/festivals/timket-festival-ethiopia.aspx
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Fasika (Passover)
(Patriots Victory
Day)
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This day represents a major Holy Day with service starting at 11am. After service,
family day celebration starts with the playing of Rasta Music (e.g., Reggae) with eating
of Corn bread, vegetables, and drinking of Wine, closing with a prayer from the Priest.
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This day represents a holiday. On this day in 1931 Ethiopia was given it's first written
Constitution and the holiday is observed annually.
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Birthday of Tafari
Makonnen
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In the year of John 16th of Hamle 1884 = July 23rd 1892 the birth of ‘Tafari' in Harar,
Ethiopia. Rastalogy accepts this day as the Second Advent of the Cosmic Christ,
fulfilling Isaiah Chapter 9v6, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is giving,
Tafari.”.
This day represents a major Holy Day; celebrated as a family day with a short prayer
service giving thanks to Yahweh, for the birth of His Son, Tafari. Service starts 11am,
followed by a celebration consisting of Rasta music and food.
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Eid al-Fitr
(End of Ramadan)
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Ethiopian New Year
(Entutatash)
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This day represents a holiday, which is, observed with a short Prayer Service starting
11am.
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Finding of the True
Cross (Meskel)**
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Meskel, the feast commemorating the Finding of the True Cross Celebrated on
Meskerem 17 Ethiopian Calendar (E.C.) / September 27 Gregorian Calendar(G.C.), in
Ethiopia.
Meskel is an ancient seasonal rite, which has is an integral part of the Ethiopian
Orthodox Calendar. This national holiday has been celebrated throughout Ethiopia for
centuries and is one of the most important annual festivals. The 26th September is the
eve of Meskel, a feast commemorating the Finding of the True Cross.
By the middle of the afternoon the celebrations start. Many are seen wearing their
brilliant white Ethiopian costumes. The occasion takes place at the Meskel square in
Addis Ababa, near the church of Saint Estifanos. A colour procession of priests, deacons
and choir boys and girls of Sunday schools wearing embroidered robes walk around a
huge pyre, bearing ceremonial crosses and wooden torches decorated with olive
leaves. As the sun begins to set, the torch-bearers move forward in unison to set alight
the slender pyramid-shaped structure, topped with a cross made from the yellow
flowers known as Meskel daisies which are placed on the tallest central pole.
The crowd of spectators are kept at bay while visitors are allowed to enter the inner
circle in accordance with the Ethiopians age-old tradition of hospitality. The casually
dressed tourists form an incongruous contrast as they brandish their cameras, while
around them the procession of proud clergy clad in dazzling ceremonial robes chant as
they perform this ancient rite.
The origins of the celebration are expressed in the Ethiopian manuscript of parchment.
It is said to date back to the discovery of the Byzantine Queen of Helena of the cross on
which Jesus Christ was crucified. According to the manuscript, in the 20th year of the
reign of her son Constantine, she set off for Jerusalem in search of the ‘life giving cross,’
which she eventually found after many trials and tribulations. She is said to have forced
the Jews to reveal the whereabouts of this ‘Honourable Cross’, which allegedly lay
under the hill of Golgotha, formed from sweepings, ashes and offal piled on the grave of
Jesus Christ.
Helena is said to have found the Cross by lighting incense and following the smoke as it
descended to earth. She caused bonfires to be lit on the hills of Palestine which could
be seen across the sea by the people of Constantinople.
So how did the rediscovered cross come to Ethiopia? Well, it is said, The Christian
Kings of Ethiopia were often called upon in the early Middle Ages to protect Egyptian
Copts against the Egyptian Muslims. In return for this delivery from Muslim
persecution, fabulous gifts of precious gold were offered to Ethiopian Emperor Dawit.
He rejected these offerings and asked instead for four pieces of the True Cross, which
were under the custody of the patriarch of Alexandria. The request was granted and the
pieces brought to Ethiopia. They were guarded on the journey by torchbearers and
then deposited in a church at Gishen, in northern Wollo dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Rejoicing followed throughout the whole country and the Emperor ordered that the
capes of the priests be embroidered with flowers. Since that day, Ethiopian Christians
are believed to have commemorated the occasion with flaming torches and huge
bonfires.
Emperor Dawit’s fourth son, Zara Yacob, succeeded him as Emperor and, when he was
a very old man, dreamt that God ordered him to ‘place the cross upon a cross.’ Zara
Yacob spent two years in abstinence, searching in seclusion, and at last discovered a
mountain shaped like a cross. There he built the beautiful church of Egziabher Ab, and a
fragment of the True Cross was kept within a gold box in the church. The priests of
Gishen still safeguard this treasure along with the Tefut which is handwritten in Ge’ez
on beautiful parchment.
Meskel is a religious and joyful annual social occasion that Christians throughout the
country look forward to each year. Both women and men wear their national clothes,
while youths boast and compete in fights with sticks. There is also jesting as well as
flirting and courting sanctioned by the festival. These days, people return from the
capital parade to their houses and bring the torches called Chibbo, to neighbourhood
bonfire gatherings. The torchbearers chant as they circle the pyre, the Damera,
(literally stack or pile of wooden torches), which are covered with cloth until a priest
blesses it. The torchbearers then hurl their flames into the midst of the Dameras, while
the gathering watches the blaze light up the night sky.
On the following day people go to the bonfire and make the sign of the cross on their
foreheads with the ash.
Source: Tsega Tekle Haimanot ~ FB post ~ 24 Sep 2019
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Negus Day
(Divine Kingship of
Rastafari)
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This day represents a Holy Day. On this day in 1928, Rastafari was acclaimed ‘Negus’,
King of Ethiopia, fulfilling Isaiah 43v15, “I am the Lord Rastafari your Holy One, Creator
of Israel, your King.”.
This day is celebrated quietly with short Prayer Service starting at 11am.
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Transfiguration Day Service and Celebration
November 2nd 1930 – This represents the Transfiguration Day of Ras Tafari to Haile
Selassie I, ‘Might of the Trinity’; fulfilling Revelation 5v5:
“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah,
the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals
thereof."
This day represents the Holy Day when Rastafari was acclaimed ‘Negus Nagast’ King of
kings of Ethiopia; fulfilling Isaiah 43v15:
“I am the LORD Rastafari, your Holy One, Creator of Israel, your King.”
This day is celebrated quietly with a short Prayer Service starting 11am. Then
celebrate with Rasta music, rice and peas, vegetables, fish, and closing with a short
Prayer of thanksgiving and blessing by the Priest in-charge.
We invite the Rastafarian Community and all those who
Love Justice and Hate Aggression!
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Nothing is hidden from God's view!...
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