07/01/2022
The Holy Lalibela(ላሊበላ) Ethiopia 🇪🇹
Lalibela was originally known as Roha during the reign of St. Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, and was later named after him - Lalibela. St. Gebre was a member of the Zagwe Dynasty who ruled Ethiopia for around 40 years in the late 12th century. The name “Lalibela“ was given to him because he was surrounded by a swarm of bees at birth; his mother took this a sign of his future reign of Ethiopia. The name “Lalibela“ means “the bees recognise his sovereignty“ (that's a lot to fit in one word!) in Old Agaw, a Cush*tic language no longer spoken in Ethiopia.
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ላሊበላ በመጀመሪያ በቅዱስ ገብረ መስቀል ላሊበላ ዘመን ሮሃ ተብሎ ይጠራ ነበር፤ በኋላም በስሙ - ላሊበላ ተሰየመ። ቅዱስ ገብሬ በ12ኛው መቶ ክፍለ ዘመን መጨረሻ ላይ ኢትዮጵያን ለ40 ዓመታት ያህል የገዛ የዛግዌ ሥርወ መንግሥት አባል ነበር። “ላሊበላ” የሚለው ስም የተጠራለት በተወለደበት ጊዜ በንብ መንጋ ስለተከበበ ነው; እናቱ ይህንን የኢትዮጵያ የወደፊት ንግስናውን ምልክት ወሰደችው። “ላሊበላ” የሚለው ስም “ንቦች ሉዓላዊነቱን ያውቁታል” (ይህ በአንድ ቃል ውስጥ በጣም ብዙ ነው!) በብሉይ አገው፣ የኩሽ ቋንቋ ከእንግዲህ በኢትዮጵያ አይነገርም።
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Lalibela is the host of an extraordinary sight - or rather, 11. These are the rock-cut churches, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The churches are grouped into the Northern, Western, and Eastern groups.
🔹️ ፫ The Northern group:
Biete Medhane Alem (House of the Saviour of the World), home to the Lalibela Cross. It is also believed to be the largest monolithic church in the world
Biete Maryam (House of Miriam/House of Mary), possibly the oldest of the churches
Biete Golgotha Mikael (House of Golgotha Mikael), known for its arts, and said to contain the tomb of King Lalibela
Biete Maskal (House of the Cross)
Biete Denagel (House of Virgins)
🔹 ️፬ The Western group:
Biete Giyorgis (Church of Saint George), said to be the best preserved church
The Eastern group:
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Biete Amanuel (House of Emmanuel)
Biete Qeddus Mercoreus (House of St. Mercoreos/House of St. Mark)
Biete Abba Libanos (House of Abbot Libanos)
Biete Gabriel-Rufael (House of the angels Gabriel, and Raphael)
Biete Lehem (House of Holy Bread)
©️Rudinei Santos Carapinheiro
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Credit: Rudinei Santos Carapinheiro
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Photos taken before before Lalibella was invaded
