BY KFLEEYESUS ABEBE
From the Holy Monday in which Jesus Christ cursed the fig tree to Good Friday, a day Jesus crucified is a week highly regarded by Christians. Many Christians use the week to remember all suffering He endured to redeem mankind.
On Monday, it is written that He cursed the fig tree which has no fruit. So, they pray their fate not to be like the fig tree, rather they strive to be fruiful in life by following his commands. Parable of theTen (The Wise and Foolish) Virgins is also told in Great and Holytuesday. The week is full of strange and saddening happenings. The Spy Wednesday, or Good Wednesday is the day they plot to kill him. But he was washing feets of his disciples and teaching humility on Maundy Thursday. Jesus was betrayed by one if not all of his disciples. He was taken from Gethsemane, a garden at mount Olive when he was praying. They showed little or no respect.
These strange; brutal, agonizing week is also a week of salvation, a time of repentance to Christians. Christians across the world commerates this paradoxical week with assortments and with feelings of saddens and happiness. In some countries there are people who literally crucified. Ethiopian way of remembering this day is unique. It is composed of religion inspired culturte and tradition.
It starts from not kissing or handshaking to eachother. By not handshaking and kissing, they are showing opposition to traitorous act of Judas Iscariot. In fact, they condemn him in all possible terms. Traitor or betrayer is named after him. It is a week of grief for some people to walk barefoot. The fasting time is also pushed from the usual upto 3pm to now 6pm or more. The intensity of prayer will also be raised. Congregation is also different from the usual. The hymn, the readings, recital and all services the church gives is reminscent of the suffering Jesus went through in each day of the week.
Accordingly, faithfuls attempt to contemplate the sacrification paid to them and cry, bend over and ask for mercy. Kyrie eleison (“Lord, have mercy”) will be heard loud and with such sad tone. People will be in such togetherness, compassion and generosity. The dedication and devotion to their faith is incomparable to other times.Such poiousness is manifeastedeven among people who aren’t seen byn the gate of church.
The food Nefro/ mush, boiled beans or beans with salt is prepared and eaten during this week. The food has religious and cultural implications. It is usually eaten during funerals and this time this food is remembering Jesus’s thrist and all the suffering. Children’s play ‘Misha Misho’ is also another cultural and religious happening on Friday morning. Children go from house to house as the Sanhedrin awaken people to collaborate with the them and kill him. The beating of the ground by stick is also done to show cruelty of Sanhedrin and the suffering of Jesus Christ. ‘Misha Misho’ means ‘you dog’. It is therefore to remember that he is being insulted by those who oppose him. They dared to insult him: ‘who is this talkative person claiming to be the son of God?’
O Misha Misho
O Misha Misho
A roaster leg broken
Madam, stand up
Make yourself busy
For the sake of the Good Friday
Madam please give from flour
Slice some from yesterday’s bread
Madam please give from the loaf of bread
Madam please give me from mush
Madam please give me from the spicy
(rough translation)
The week is eventful and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church honors every deeds of Jesus Christ. There are ways and activities that are inspired by events in the scripture. On Maundy Thursday, Jesus washed feets of his disciples. And religious fathers to this day wash feets of faitfhul, exhibit humility of Jesus Christ and urge faithful to show humility to one another.
Everyday there is reading from the bible. What Jesus did, what he faced and what he demanded from his followers will be told. Churches bell ringing, priests hymning, procession saying Kyrie eleison after the priest decorate the ceremony. At the end of Good Friday celebration, there is a long ceremony of asking God for mercy. Everyone with the same voice says “O’ lord have mercy on us.” After this, there is also the ceremony of condemning and thrashing the traitor Judea Iscariot. Eveyone at the church uses stones or stick to beat the earth assuming they beat Judea. They knew Jesus is crucified but the faithful start to exchange good wishes, for one thing they do this because they believe unless Jesus is dead there is salvation and on the other hand they knew he would raise from the dead.
People will remember him as a person they knew before. His teachings were at the center of talk along the week. They tell their regrets. They talked of stories like how Jesus is betrayed, his and the order for Pilate his crucifixion They discussed events: how they could incorporate to their lives. There are also spiritual songs recalling his suffering and people’s disobedience. Another painful thing faithful do this week is fasting for at least two consecutive days nonstop. This day by some who are determined to eat after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The tradition in Orthodox Church also affected other Christian churches particularly Ethiopian Catholic Church. There are similar church services, commemorating acts of Jesus and his suffering. This holy week observed in this church in a similar ways with Orthodox church. The similar costumes, the recital and the washing of feets and other ceremonies makes the commeration similar in both churches.
Over all, the week itself is a week of veneration. A good and calm spirit to control cities and villages. Priest encouraged more devotion and faithful to give charities. If not comparable with other parts of the world, Ethiopians way of commerating this important week in Christianity is intense and painful. But if they eagerly and willingly follow all this thinking, it would make them closer to God, wash away their sins and bring forth blessing and redemption.
The Ethiopian Herald April 14/2023
