Enkutatash, the Ethiopian New Year celebrated on September 11th, marks the end of spring rains when the Highlands bloom with wildflowers. Children, dressed in new attire, dance joyfully through villages, offering bouquets and paintings to households. Named “gift of jewels,” Enkutatash commemorates the Queen of Sheba’s treasury replenishment after visiting King Solomon. The festival features dancing, singing, and bonfires in every village. The central religious celebration occurs at the Kidus Yohannes church in Genet, Gonder, with three days of prayers and processions.

Closer to Addis Ababa, Raguel Church on Entoto Mountain hosts a grand celebration. Rooted in religious significance, Enkutatash is also a lively celebration of spring and renewed life, evolving into a time for urban dwellers to exchange New Year greetings and cards.

In Ethiopia, Christmas, known as Ledet or Genna, follows the ancient Julian calendar, falling on January 7th (Gregorian calendar). Celebrations are marked by grandeur in towns and villages, where people don their finest attire.

Genna signifies the imminent arrival of the Lord and liberation from sin.

Festivities begin with early morning masses, starting as early as 6:00 am. The

43-day fasting period, called the fast of the prophets, precedes Genna for clergy, involving standing for up to three hours while chanting hymns—a tradition spanning 1,500 years.

The highlight is the Tabot procession, symbolizing the Ark of the Covenant, carried by a priest. The procession, featuring ululation, chiming bells, and vibrant attire, encircles the church three times with Christians carrying lighted candles. Post-celebration, people disperse for feasting, enjoying Doro Wat and Injera, accompanied by Tej, a local honey-made wine. Gift-giving is minimal, emphasizing exchanges within family and friends. The essence of Ethiopian Christmas lies in sharing joy, fostering peace, and spreading goodwill globally_ transcending religious boundaries.

Fasika, or Easter, follows a 55-day fasting period for Orthodox Christians known as Hudade or Abye Tsome. During this time, believers refrain from meat and dairy, opting for vegetarian meals like lentils, peas, grains, fruit, and vegetable stews with injera and/or bread. Fasting allows for the first meal after 3 PM, except on Saturdays and Sundays, when an earlier meal is permitted after the morning service.

On Easter eve, celebrants participate in a vibrant, candlelit Easter mass service at churches, starting around 6 PM and concluding at approximately 2 AM. Axum and Lalibela are particularly colorful during these festivities.

Following the Easter service, individuals return home to break their fast with chicken or lamb, slaughtered the previous night after 6:00 pm. Similar to Christmas, Easter is a day of family reunions and goodwill, expressed through the exchange of gifts such as lamb, goat, or loaves of bread. The joyous spirit of celebration and gift-sharing defines this significant occasion.

Meskel, a significant Ethiopian Orthodox festival, spans two days starting on September 26th. Legend has it that in 326, Queen Helena discovered the Holy Cross through divine guidance. Ethiopian Emperor Dawit received half of the True Cross in the Middle Ages, solidifying the festival’s importance. Demera (September 26) involves building bonfires with a cross and Meskel Daisies, with falling splinters predicting the year’s prosperity.

Rain at Demera’s close signifies a prosperous year.

On Meskel day, believers mark their heads with ash from the bonfires, celebrating with abundant food and drink. The festival aligns with the mass blooming of golden Meskel daisies. Celebrations are vibrant not only in Meskel Square, Addis Ababa, but also along the Historic route and major towns, weaving religious significance with cultural traditions. Meskel is a joyous and colorful celebration deeply rooted in Ethiopian history and spirituality.

Timkat, the vibrant Ethiopian Epiphany celebrated on January 19th (or January 20th during leap years), marks the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist. The eve, Ketera, features a procession of Tabots to a water source for the next day’s festivities. Tabots, symbolizing the Ark of the Covenant, are revered and carried by priests with unique dances, accompanied by hymns, drums, bells, and trumpets

During the night, prayers ensue, leading to a 2:00 am mass. At dawn, congregants gather near water for prayers. A senior priest uses a golden cross to bless and extinguish a consecrated candle in the water, sprinkling it on the congregation to commemorate Christ’s baptism. Some participants leap into the water to renew vows.

Timkat is a commemoration, not a rebaptism. Tabots, excluding St. Michael’s, return to their churches with elders marching solemnly amid ancient rites.

January 20th marks the feast of Michael the Archangel, concluding the three-day celebration. Lalibela, Gonder, and Addis Ababa offer ideal locations. In Addis Ababa, Jan Meda hosts tents, and a 2:00 am mass precedes festivities at dawn. Timkat remains a unique Ethiopian Orthodox Church ceremony, shaped in relative isolation.