Worshippers jump into the Fasilides baths
Melkam Timkat from us all at Tesfa Tours. If there is one holiday that encapsulates the unique nature of the Ethiopia Orthodox church it is Timkat. Literally it means baptism (in Ge’ez – the liturgical language, as well as in Amharic and Tigrinya), but is Ethiopia’s unique take on the celebration of Epiphany. Across the Orthodox world the 19th January is the day for celebrating Epiphany and what is celebrated is Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan river by John.
The pool of blessed water – Mequat
Across Ethiopia this morning people rushed to get the holy water that was blessed in the Timkat ceremony. In Gondar they leapt into Fasilidas’ bath; in Addis many thousands got sprayed from the Timkat bath in Jan Meda field; across the country parishioners got splashed by water in some pool that was blessed by their priests. This is in commemoration of Jesus’ baptism, is a great blessing on those who get wet and is a moment of ecstatic joy.
A Tabot being paraded
The processions started yesterday, on the eve of Timkat. At some point in the afternoon, the ‘Tabot‘- the holy epicentre of the church, and a replica of the tablets of Stone that Moses carried down from Mount Sinai – is carried out from the church. The Tabot is a rectangular slab of wood, marble or stone about the size of a big book. It is never seen, and is wrapped in brocaded cloths and carried on the head of a senior priest, under umbrellas and in the company of others carrying the special icons from the church and the processional cross. The procession of the Tabot is made with great joy and at the same time solemnity. Drummers play the large church kettle drums called Kabero, debtara (equivalent of cantors) dance with their prayer sticks and a special ‘rattle’ called a sistrum.
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In N.E. Addis Ababa, the traditional place for the Tabots to rest is the Jan Meda, where they set up camp under tents, along with thousands of worshippers.
Next morning following a special mass and the baptismal ceremony the Tabots are processed by a different route back to their church bestowing blessings on all houses and people that they pass. It is a procession that harks back to King Davids processing of the Arc of Covenant into the new temple in Jerusalem.
However the Tabots from the Mikael churches do not come back on Timkat. They spend a second night camping out, and on the day after Timkat, which is the 12th of the Ethiopian month (Ter) Mikael saint’s day, there is a huge procession, with the numbers swollen by parishioners from the neighbouring churches. This day is also the day that commemorates the miracles of Jesus at the Wedding in Canaa – ‘ye Canaa Zegelila’. In the countryside these processions are often accompanied by decorated horsemen performing races known as ‘Gooks’.
This is a day to be out and participating. A day to celebrate Ethiopia’s unique contribution to the world. And most of all a day to enjoy.
We wish you all a wonderful, happy and blessed Timkat
