Ethiopian Orthodox Christians Celebrate Meskel Festival in Addis Ababa
Thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gathered at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa on Thursday (Sep. 26) to celebrate the religious festival of Meskel, which honors the cross on which Jesus was crucified and its recovery by Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine.
The festival, recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, features bonfires burned across the country. In a grand ceremony, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church lit a large bonfire, surrounded by thousands of faithful in white garments.
Celebrations will continue until Friday (Sep. 27), a national holiday marked by church services and family gatherings. People throughout Ethiopia are lighting bonfires made from logs, dry leaves, and grass in public squares and near churches as part of the festivities.
Amidst this celebration, Ethiopia faces ongoing tensions, including disputes over access to the sea via Somaliland and conflicts with Egypt regarding the Nile River dam, alongside insurgencies in the Amhara region.