The Dessert Star is a prominent epithet for Abune Gebre Menfes Kidus, an Egyptian-born saint and founder of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church monastery at Lake Zuqualla. This title reflects his spiritual power and his life of severe asceticism in the desert, where he lived among wild animals like lions and leopards, famously raising dead animals and taming the beasts.
Saint Arsema was born to devout Christian parents, her father Saint Theodorus and mother Saint Athanasia. They were well-known for their faith, spiritual works, and dedication to God through prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. However, despite their pious life, they were deeply saddened as they had no children.
Time welcomes plentiful natural events. The universe receiving continuous occasions ornaments, the earth sometimes prosperous whilst other time desiccates. In winter season wets by the rain whilst in summer dries by the sun and warmth. When the wind in this season shakes her, the blooming flowers gives beautify.
At the year 325 A.D., 318 fathers assembled in the city of Nicea, in the days of Emperor Constantine, the righteous Emperor. Among them were the heads of the four Sees and they were: Anba Alexandros, the 19th Pope of Alexandria, who was accompanied by Athanasius, his Archdeacon and private secretary; Estasius, archbishop of Antioch; Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem. Sylvestros, archbishop of Rome, because of his old age did not attend and sent two priests in his place.The reason for their assembly was to judge Arius who was a priest in Alexandria. He blasphemed against the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ by saying that he was not equal in essence to God, His Father, and there was a time when the Son did not exist.
The history of Gishen Mariam’s parishes establishment has its own reasons. The fragment of the Holy Cross came to Ethiopia from Alexandria in Mesekrem 10. Yet it was kept at Gishen in a church, in Meskrem 21 where Emperor Zera Yacob, announced it to the whole Ethiopia in reading texts.
The absolute love proven, the announcement of peace, our affirmation of liberation, and avow of salvation, the finding of the holy cross is a great feast and thus celebrated every year. The first man Adam betrayal put him to trail and so The Holy Son came down from the heavens to suffer and be sacrificed upon the cross. This being a big reason, we make a great feast on Meskerem 17.
Later on the queen made a church be built and honorable placed the cross. The feast of the lighting of torch is related with the Saint Helena’s burning of Demera.
At the time where earth is ornamented by flowers, there is a feast we celebrate specifically on Mesekerem 10, known to be “Teketsel Tsige (The Feast of Flowers).” Teketsel meaning “crown”, and Tsige to mean “flower,” is a feast that Holy Church celebrate in this ending of winter season. There are reasons for this also. One of them is related with the previous King’s stories.
When he had arrived in Jerusalem he knelt and prayed in the holy places, and he set out on his return journey without having bought the picture. Immediately he heard a voice, which said unto him, “Why has you forgotten to buy the picture?” being troubled by the voice he turned back into the marketplace, and found a picture of our Lady Mary, which had sweet features and a beautiful form. Having bought it he wrapped it up in cotton and in fine linen. as he was traveling along a terrible road in the desert thieves rose up against him, and when he was wishing to take to flight, a voice came forth from that picture which said, “Fear not: complete thy journey”; and he went on his way and none challenged him. Another time a savage lion rose up against him and wanted to rend him, and straightway an awful voice came forth from that picture and drove away the lion.