Meskel is a national holiday in Ethiopia celebrating the finding of the ‘true cross’. Every year lots of Ethiopians fill Meskel (now called Revolution) Square to listen to the message from the patriarch. Here’s a little background info, the patriarchs prior to this one were considered ‘holy men.’ Apparently the folks in the orthodox church in the US broke off from the one here, because he was ‘politically appointed.’ The patriarch before this one was murdered I hear by the Durg regime. Ok, end end of bg info.

Several thousand people gathered at this square and were seated quite a ways from ground level where all the priests and other people were. On the ground level there was a set of tents for ambassadors on one side and priests, bishops archbishops and whoever the other people are in the church. They mainly wore black. I believe members of other orthodox churches were there like the greek orthodox etc. for a good while there were just priests singing and playing their sistrums. They were lined up on either side of a red carpet and were swaying. At the end of the red carpet was a gathering of priests holding very large ornate carved crosses. Some were under large umbrellas with cloth made out of a silk-looking material with gold brocade all through it. For some reason these umbrellas had pictures of very pale-looking people on them. Generally a woman, sometimes a man – go figure. I hear tell these are jesus and mary. The church here is trading the traditional Ethiopian images for these ghastly looking figures all over the place. It is not uncommon for you to see little children kissing pictures of a white long haired man with a crown of thorns around his head. Truly sad. I have yet to hear an explanation for the exchange. Now the Ethiopian images are relegated to the museums like the IES. Apparently the Greek orthodox church is being so very kind to send their images to the church in Ethiopia, something they have been doing since Menelik’s time. Anyhoo… back to Meskel.

This went on (the singing by the priests) until some time after 3 when a vehicle arrived. From the back stepped the patriarch. He is a tall stout man and he wore a crown – with more pale people on them. He too wore the brocaded silk clothes, pants, top and a long cape – red and gold. They all looked rather royal. I think he had a cross in his hand too. At this point all of the photographers (of which there were very many, of all nationalities, the touristy type you now Europeans in all-khaki looking like they are on a safari, Asians, and professional photographers.) There were very few Africans from America. We met some who are coming to Ethiopia to teach for a year. Local media was there of course as well as media from italy and new york, that I could tell. One of the photographers was Chester Higgins, Jr. he did the book of photos called “Feeling the Spirit: Searching the World for the People of Africa.” His photos from his exhibit “Elder Grace” are up in a subway station in New York. I think that exhibit is on tour still in the states, look out for it. I was fortunate enough to see all of them and more (we met with him the next day at his hotel), they look really good. He’s got Dr. Ben, Dr. John Henrik Clark and Ossie Davis in the collection. Anyhoo, turns out he’s working on a new book tracing the development of African Spirituality. Ok, again back to meskel.

This celebration took place on the day before the actual holiday. The holiday fell on a fasting day. It also calls for (as it seems quite a few holidays here call for, between the Christian and Muslim holidays) the slaughtering of a bull. So this was done on Saturday by most people. People ate a lot of kitifo on this day. One person told me they did not make even the slightest use of a fire on Saturday because every single piece of meat was raw. But I digress …

Photographers were swarming everywhere during the ceremony, I think it was a bit disruptive. Some of the participants seemed to enjoy having their pictures taken. It was a very clear day that day. The patriarch then stood in front of what looked like a throne and commenced to give his speech in Amharic…and then in English. He said something about letting people take the pictures so they can go back where they come from and prove wrong those people who think that Africa has nothing to offer. He also talked about poverty and AIDS, etc. okay, so I really wasn’t listening. I was under the tent on the side of the ambassadors (it pays to know people). After he finished groups from different churches came up to perform before the patriarch and his guests. At this point I just stood up in front of the ambassadors because most of them had seen this already and well, I wanted to see clearly. They had brightly colored robes on, these were youth groups and they sang and drummed and made all different kinds of formations. They came one after the other after the other. It reminded me of sports day in Jamaica when you have to represent your house. Some had props. Some came on floats. Some did skits. Almost every skit was on AIDS. People are definitely trying to increase awareness about the disease here. A young person in the very neighborhood in which I am staying died of AIDS and many of the street kids are AIDS orphans. I just heard about a man who used to guard the Austrian embassy whose wife died of AIDS. He had 3 kids and decided to hang himself because he couldn’t deal with it, he said he couldn’t support them. The kids have no parents now and are in an orphanage. Anyway Meskel was a happy day.

The last groups were the most impressive. One group had a girl on horseback who was playing Jesus. Another was a float that was preceded by a horse-drawn carriage. The people in the carriage hopped out and did a skit. Then the people on the float sang and lit up some crosses that had sparklers and fireworks attached to them. Quite a dazzling display. Then the highlight of the day came. They also call this the bonfire holiday. All of the people on the ground went to the center of the square in which stood a 30-40 foot tall tee-pee shaped collection of sticks. The patriarch lit on piece of stick and threw it onto the sticks. It caught fire very quickly, and people had to back up. Then others lit sticks and throw them on the bonfire until the whole thing was ablaze. Since the first stick was lit they were running around the blaze. Everyone in the stands cheered and clapped. After the fire went out people stood and waited for the burnt sticks to fall. It was then I noticed a large white circle that was drawn on the ground around the bonfire. Depending on which way the sticks fall determines if the harvest and hence the year will be a good one. Finally the sticks fell and people rushed out of its way. I noticed some police who had been trying to keep people in the stands (by feigning beating them with their batons) stoop down to small clusters of ashes and put their fingers in them. They then drew crosses on one another’s foreheads. One little boy knelt down in front of me and rubbed both hands in the soot and rubbed over it his entire face. At this point they couldn’t keep the crowds in the stands anymore, nor the equal number of people in the very wide (about 6 lanes) street. Both crowds went rushing for each other. We protected ourselves behind an SUV. They were actually rushing to pick up pieces of the burnt wood. By this time it was dark and we went home. Traffic was terrible. We were driving behind groups of singing people. Pedestrians controlled the street that night. The general atmosphere was very happy though.

I must say also that Meskel isn’t a holiday that just Christians participate in. Most Ethiopians do, Christian and Muslim. People have parties there is dancing by members of both religions. It is my understanding that the major holidays are like that here. At Eid, Christians visit Muslim houses and vice versa, all kids get gifts, etc. Muslims take part in the ceremonies of Christians like baby showers/.baptisms and Christians in Muslim ones. it’s a rather refreshing change from what I am accustomed to in the US, where African people divide themselves on religious lines. This is due in large part to the fact that they consider themselves Ethiopian first and foremost. Also there has been much mixing between the 2, many families are split down the middle. Ethiopians (especially Christian ones) take great pride in the fact that Islam probably wouldn’t be what it is if it weren’t for the refuge given the first Muslims by the Ethiopians. What I haven’t been able to find out too much about are the Southern people, besides the fact that they are generally looked down upon by members of both religions here. But I am not sure that that is all there is to it. I know there’s an Oromo/Highlander thing. But Oromo aren’t the only southern ethnic group so I have to find out more. Most people seem reticent to talk about it. anyhow I was very grateful to have a front row seat at Meskel. it was truly an amazing experience. The next big holiday in Ethiopia in Temkat. Christmas isn’t all that big here I hear. That is in January. So it’s not like people are just celebrating all year round, I just cam at the right time.