ADDISABABA – The Ethiopian Orthodox Church faithful together with Eritreans celebrated yesterday Axum Zion religious festival on the premises of St. Mary Church at Axum town for first time after the two countries’ recent rapprochement, Tigray state announced.
Axum Woreda Culture and Tourism Office Head Gebrmedehin Fitsumberhan told The Ethiopian Herald that the festival is one of Ethiopia’s largest festivals, holds on 30 November every year, where thousands of pilgrims arrive from different corners of the country and abroad.
Currently, Orthodox faithful composed of Ethiopians and Eritreans are paying homage to Axum in droves. Gebrmedehin said the Eritrean faithful participated in this religious festival this year for the first time since the reopening of the two decades closed Ethio-Eritrea borders in last September.
As to him, the celebration has vital role for both Ethiopia and Eritrea in enhancing their socioeconomic developments. In addition to this, foreign tourists from various countries joined this yearly celebration in a great number. Though the celebration has various significances to the country, the Culture and Tourism Office in Axum Woreda has so far attempted to make the celebration registered as national heritage on the United Nation International Science and Cultural Organization (UNISCO).
In connection with the festival, he called on the incumbent to give more attention and collaborate with societies in the effort of protecting such national heritages and changing it to one of the country’s attractive tourist destinations.
According to Gebrmedhin, as many other holidays of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, the current Axum Zion celebration hosted a great number of participants, which will contribute for preservation of cultural heritages and income generation. The festive was started in the ancient period since the faith of Christianity entered in to the country from Israel.
THE Ethiopian Herald, December 1/2018
BY MESERET BEHAILU and DARGIE KAHSAY
