In Ethiopia people start celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on the eve of the day, as many of the laity prefer to stay overnight at the church and participate the ritual. This holds a special and memorable event in the minds of children and adults who adore the holiday more than all other celebrations.
Christmas is one of the most favorite holidays among Christians across the world and is celebrated in more or less different ways in different countries. Ethiopia also cherishes a centuries of indigenous tradition of celebrating Christmas colorfully.
Ethiopia (and especially the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church) celebrates Christmas on January 7th, not December 25th. The Ethiopian Calendar has different months – and Christmas in on the 29th of Tahsas, according to whychristmas.com.
Many other orthodox churches around the world also celebrate Christmas on the 7th January. The calendar the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church uses originally came from calendar used by the Coptic Orthodox Church (which is based in Egypt) but now has its own special days.
The Christmas celebration in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is called Ganna or Genna. Most people go to Church on Christmas day. Many people take part in a special Advent fast during the 43 days before Christmas. It starts on 25th November and is known as the ‘Fast of the Prophets’ (Tsome Nebiyat). During this time, traditionally only one vegan meal is eaten each day. It’s a vegan meal because during the fast, foods including meat, dairy, eggs and wine aren’t eaten.
For Ganna, people get dressed in white. Most people wear a traditional garment called a Netela. It’s a thin white cotton piece of cloth with brightly colored stripes across the ends. It’s worn like a shawl or toga. If you live in a big town or city you might wear ‘western’ clothes. People go to church mass on Christmas Eve (called the gahad of Christmas) at 6.00pm and the service finishes about 3.00am on Christmas Day.
The Ethiopian capital city is Addis Ababa. It’s a modern city. Most people who live outside big cities live in round house made of mud-plastered walls which have thatched cone-shaped roofs. Sometimes houses in the country are rectangular and made of stone.
The design of Ethiopian Church is similar to the houses. In the country, they are often very old and have been carved out of rock. In cities, modern churches are built in three circles, each within the others. The choir sings from the outer circle. Everyone who goes to church for the Ganna celebrations is given a candle. The people walk around the church three times in a solemn procession, holding the candles. They then go to the second circle to stand during the service. The men and boys are separated from the women and girls. The center circle is the most important and holy place in the church and is where the priest serves the Holy Communion or Mass.
Just like many other religious and cultural feasts, there are places where locals and tourists prefer to travel and visit during Christmas. One such place is Lalibela. The city which is known for its UNESCO registered rockhewn churches is also famous for its special ceremony of observing Ganna rituals.
The religious celebration of Lidet (also known as Gena in parts of Ethiopia) takes place over three days, culminating in Christmas Day, which is celebrated on 7 January in Ethiopia. Christmas in Lalibela is an extraordinary experience as the town’s population more than doubles in size in the weeks preceding Lidet. In advance of the three-day celebration, tens of thousands pilgrims gather, camping in the hills around the town and its famous rock-hewn churches.
Some are from nearby communities, and others have walked for weeks to get here. As you walk through the town, you feel the anticipation and sense something special is imminent. Traders set up market stalls, residents open their homes, welcoming any pilgrims who want to come in and eat with them, and local young people wash the feet of the tired pilgrims.
On Christmas Eve you join the white-clad crowds in the church of Bete Emanuel, where the rhythmic chanting and signing continue in the warm candlelight through the night. Your guide gives you all the information you need to be respectful and understand what’s happening around you. He was a deacon in the church himself, and has taken part in these ceremonies since childhood. The ceremonies themselves are solemn and mesmerising. Here, Christmas is celebrated as it has been for hundreds of years and you are struck by the devotion of the faithful.
The time Ganna and Timkat are celebrated is the prime time for tourist in flow in Ethiopia. Ethiopian diaspora and those engaged in the hospitality industry should also work strenuously at this time to promote the special and mesmerizing events of Genna which has the potential to add the reputation of the nation in the field.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY STAFF REPORTER
The Ethiopian Herald JANUARY 7 / 2024
