• Patriarch preaches Love and Forgiveness
ADDIS ABABA- Ethiopians have colorfully celebrated Demera festival yesterday at Meskel Square in the capital Addis Ababa and across the country. Demera is a tradition of burning bonfire on the eve of Meskel, a festival which marks the finding of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
Thousands celebrated Demera, by gathering at Meskel Square in the heart of the capital city, Addis Ababa. Abune Mathias, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, conveyed a message of Unity and forgiveness. “The teachings of the Holy Cross are love, forgiveness, and unity,” he told millions of faithful who gathered at Meskel square for the celebration.
The patriarch said cross is the sign of love, unity and forgiveness in which Jesus Christ expressed his love to the world. In his remark during the celebration the Patriarch voiced on the need for protection of the church. The Patriarch finally conveyed his greetings and best wishes to Ethiopians celebrating the festival.
The Patriarch also urged all to be guardians of Ethiopia’s culture of unity and peace.The diplomatic community, senior government officials, including Dr. Hirut Kassaw, Minister of Culture and Tourism, the church’s followers and religious leaders from Russian and Egypt and others attended the celebration.
Heather Hemmer tourist from United States of America says “I am so excited to be part of the celebrations here and it is incredible. It is my firsts to see such kind of celebration with physical presence and I traveled to the rest of Ethiopian regions to visit historical places like Gondar and Lalibela and Ethiopian culture of welcoming guest is so interesting and attractive”, she said.
Sharon Pennebaker and Steve Alexander are also among the attendees of Masqal celebration from USA.They said that Ethiopia has amazing culture and traditions which make the country unique from the rest of the world. “The way they sing is attractive and interesting” they noted.
Meskel is one of Ethiopia’s heritages registered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an element of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Ethiopian Herald Sept 28/2019
BY HAILE DEMEKE
