23/09/2023
What is Meskel Holiday?
Meskel Holiday is a Christian religious holiday, which is mainly celebrated by the Orthodox church in Ethiopia on September 27th every year or September 28th in leap years. This event commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by Queen Eleni, the mother of Constantine the Great, in the 4th century AD. Moreover, it is bringing communities together to participate in various festivities.
What does the word meskel mean?
The holiday's name, 'Meskel', is derived from the Amharic language, which is the official language of Ethiopia, and it means 'cross'.
What is the significance of the bonfire during this holiday?
According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, Queen Eleni utilized the bonfire to determine the place where the True Cross was entombed.
In a dream, Empress Eleni was instructed to light a bonfire and the smoke would reveal the location of the true cross.
The people of Jerusalem were instructed by her to gather wood and create a massive pile. The bonfire was lit after frankincense was added to it. The smoke reached the sky and then descended to the ground, precisely where the True Cross was buried.
How is Meskel celebrated ?
The Meskel Festival begins in the late afternoon. Prior to that,
The Meskel bonfire (demera) is made on either the eve or days before.
A large area is designated for this purpose. The demera is constructed by tying up tall woods and dried bundles of branches (chibo) with rope and erecting it. Green grass, colorful flowers, and ribbons are used to decorate. The top of the demera is also adorned with a cross made of yellow daisies flowers called ye Meskel Abeba or Adey Abeba.
Late in the afternoon on Meskel eve, the believers come out of their homes wearing colorful Habesha tradition clothes. They follow the Orthodox priests and deacons who wear church robes and carry ornate crosses. While walking, dancing, and singing spiritual songs with loud drums, they make their way to Meskel Square. After believers, guests, and officials arrive at Meskel Square, various appointed people bring greatings and well wishes to the crowd and the people of Ethiopia. After that, the demera is ignited from the bottom with a single torch.
The Orthodox priests, decons and the crowd surround the bonfire, singing special Meskel songs while the demera burns to ash. The ceremony ends with the prayer and blessing of the patriarch and priest after sunset.
Believers who are not abele to attend the ceremony due to distance, prepare a bonfire on their own neighborhoods to celebrate.
What happenes at the end of the celebration?
The people will wait until the demera completely burns to ash. The charcoal and ash that has been completely burned are then utilized to mark the cross on the foreheads of believers. The cross mark is a symbol used by believers to demonstrate that their sins have been cancelled and forgiven by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
May your Meskel holiday be filled with happiness!
Solomon Ayele
Mesob Ethiopia Tours
Email. [email protected]
URL: https://www.mesobethiopia.com
Mobile #: 251917607777
