The Ninth Month
Ginbot
The doctrine of Ethiopian Orthodox Church states the ninth month of the Ethiopian calendar has “Ginbot.” Aleka Kidane Wolde explains the meaning of the word in his Geeze and Amharic dictionary as, “the name of month, the ninth one from “Meskerem, the entry of summer, neighbor;” and he says it is means “the work of month,” because even the tower of the babel was established in this month “Ginbot.” (3 Kings 6:1, Ezra 3:8, Kidane Wolde Kiflae, page 322)
It is known as “Ayer”, amongst the westerns or “May” in English. This was a name of the vegetable idol which they worshiped. This month is the fifth of the romans and the number does not change even before the birth of Christ at 45/6 years ago and still now.
The month of Ginbot, though is neighborhood of summer, it is warm and dry. Not only man but animals need dregs in Ginbot.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Incarnation Church commemorates the days of Saints. There are feasts daily, monthly and yearly celebrated accord holy scriptures. We can only mention some of them for this article about the feasts in this month as follows;
1. The most pure, abode of God, Lady virgin Saint Mary is born on the first day of this month.
2. On the second day is the departure day of righteous Job.
3. The Great Prophet Jeremiah departed on the fifth day of Ginbot.
4. “Ancient Ascension” of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ after forty days of His resurrection is commemorated on the eight day of Ginbot.
5. The Righteous King Constantine’s mother Saint Helena departed on ninth day of this month.
6. The Three Holy Children, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego) departed on the tenth day of this month.
7. The disappearance of the great Ethiopian scholar, Saint Yared (Jared), disappeared on Ginbot eleven.
8. On the holiday of Ginbot Twelve, the great Saint Chrysostom departed.
9. The eighteen day of this month is the descending of Holy Spirit upon the Apostles onwards the ascension of our Lord.
10. Ginbot twenty one is “Feast of Debre Mitmaq.”
11. On the twenty four, our Lord, His Mother Saint Mary, Joseph and Salome is the flight to the Egypt
It is also the departure day of Prophet Habakkuk.
12. The departure of Saint Salome, Saint Mary’s niece is on Ginbot twenty five.
On this day also, the Lord planted Joseph’s stick on green land and it grew into tree immediately.
13. Ginbot twenty six is the departure day of the Apostle, Thomas.
14. On Ginbot twenty four, the brother of Mary and Martha, Lazarus departed.
May the prayer, intercession and mediation of Saints be with us; Amen!