BY TSEGAY HAGOS
Ethiopia is a pioneer country in Africa to adopt Christianity and Islam. As a result, it houses many breathtaking churches, monasteries and mosques. There are more than 200 rock-hewn churches in Tigray State alone.
Mariam Wukro is among the many monolithic churches that stuns tourists from around the world. The church, unlike its contemporaries, appears in a remote countryside whose development gap is not yet addressed.
The 27 km drive Hawzien-Nebelet is noteworthy. It is accomplished with a variety of astonishing landscapes. For example, the plain rolling along the road changes into a landscape marked by shallow depressions.
Upon approaching the rim of the river Weri’e, that underwent erosion, the landscape turns into a graceful feature. River Weri’e gushes from a mountainside lying next to a cliff that embraces the town of Nebelet.
All the land along the valley is covered by little thorny twigs which shelter wild animals and peculiar birds of which few are seen perching atop trees. Past the river, the road meanders about to climb a sheer-sided cliff which turns into rough and uneven land, the ‘Werieleke’ district.
The Hawzien-Nebelet road continues west to connect with Aksum via the town of Edaga-arbi and Adwa. Travelers could feast their eyes on a lot of natural wonders interchanged by the traditional vernacular architectures. At the gate of the town Edaga Arbi, the road bends into a tumbling valley and then winds up a steep escarpment to run a plateau-like environment where the abode is found. The course looks as if to swing suspended over a baseless space and this makes travelers excite and revel.
According to the magazine published by Tigray Culture and Tourism Bureau, the church of Mariam Wukro is not separated from the native and although its southern exterior is visible. It does not give any indication regarding the quality of the interior.
Instead, it could be said that the exterior almost ornamentation and workmanship displayed in the interior of the church. In the overgrown churchyard with tall bamboo canes, the natural rock has two doors and two rough windows and gives no clues of the accurately carved interior.
In the magnificent rock-hewn churches, the concern is the interior and almost no effort is exerted in beautifying the exterior. In fact, there are three doors on the southern frontage of the church, two directly leading to the sanctuary and the third one leading to the inner circuit of the church (or the Kinemahlet).
Mariam Wukro church devoted to Saint Mary consists of two and three aisled kinemahlet and the sanctuary, appended by the Holy of Holies. Spacious and high enough ceiling, the structure is characterized by a set of pillars, domes, crosses, arches and designs.
The wonders of the chapel begin with its Kinemahlet which has two free standing pillars and seven other in sculptural relief. The two columns are connected by a twofold arch that systematically suspends in the air. This is the most striking features of the church.
The aisle facing the door, just like the one next to it, has its roof categorized into three squared carved compartments of which the first two carry a large dome and a cross. The second is enclosed by four smaller crosses.
The one at the end bears a large ceiling. The first two squares in the second path. It also displays the same patterns, vaults and crosses. The latter is embraced by four little-sized domes. The aisles accompanied by such magnificent designs run in south-north direction.
Some six doorknobs and statue like symbols appear on the ceiling and walls which also add hues to the attraction of the room. A wooden door leads from the Kinemahlet to the sanctuary whose picturesque setting lends much more amazement to the church.
The chamber partitioned into three aisles has four freestanding pillars geometrically curved towards ten others in lower relief. The roof holds a series of shallow squared openings believed to give phosphorescent light in the past.
Also the Kinemahlet walls and ceilings bear well-refined knobs and statue like decorations. The aisles running west-east directions end up with the Holy of Holies. Each row like that of Kinemahlet is divided into three squared curved cells. All of them hold perfectly finished sculptures.
The first two cells of the aisle bordering the door are spotted with large dome and cross. The latter is encircled by four smaller crosses. The third shows no ornament. On the second row turns out a huge cross embodied by four tiny crosses.
The middle one comprises a large cross while the last carries a large dome. The first two sequences on the third passageway contain an immense cross held by small sized squared carves and large dome respectively.
Behind the curtain, the Holy of Holies whose ceiling manifests a colossal dome appears encircled by its four parts. The center of the shrine holds a cupboard like stone chest where the ark of portrayed slab is placed far from view.
For one who chances a panoramic view, the architectural and artistic view of the Mariam Wukro church showcases unmatched examples of ancient architecture, carefully designed as an emblem to reverence.
The workmanship is a wondrous and inspiring testament to mankind’s super creativity and Ethiopia’s astounding architectural masterpiece. An attempt to shape such rock ceiling into domes, bosses and crosses as plastic for example conveys the message of brightest minds. Generally, to have such a splendid monument in such a far-flung corner of the country is simply an amazing incident.
The Ethiopian Herald January 31/2021
