Feasts – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

Abune Zena Markos

Our righteous father has made the devil to carry the wood to the service of church in his entire life. He has performed many more miraculous where he raised the dead and made a horse to witness for God in his own mouth. While he was on the road, our Lord Jesus Christ came to him and told him the time of his departure has come, reminding about the covenant He gave him. The Saints has heard about this covenant in their own ears.

Our Father Abune Zena Markos afterwards gathered his disciples and told about the covenant The Lord gave him. By his prayer, he made the sun to stand still. And on Tahesas two, he washed the disciples’ feet and told them about his departure time. He then advised them to foremost live by love of neighbor and do good to inherit heavenly kingdom. He advised them much more and raised his face to the Lord saying “Safeguard these children you gave me from evil deed by your mercy.” On Tahesas three, he died.

Mother Zion

Words cannot be sufficient enough to describe the honor and praise of our Holy Mother Saint Virgin Mary. Fortunate to us, for we are willed to use the words revealed to Saints in talking about and praise of her. “Our spiritual love towards the Savior Jesus Christ and His mother is deep-rooted in our hearts, and appears in our daily life. We love Saint Mary, the Virgin and mother of God, through whom we discover the nature of her Son as the Incarnate Son of God. Her life speaks of God’s redeeming deed, and explains man’s role in attaining the heavenly life by the divine grace. Saint Mary is our Mother, who became an archetype of the Church, receiving a universal maternity to man. She loves the whole world, longing for the perfect salvation of everybody…” says Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty in his book “Saint Mary in the Orthodox Concept)

The Holy Family’s Flight and the Returning

The flight of The Holy Family to Egypt and Ethiopia is both a significant and a living tradition for the people of the land of the Pharaohos and blessing to our country.

Crucifixion of Jesus

The Crucifixion day of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the holiday, which is the salvation of the world. The Holy Bible mentioned that: “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.” (Matthew 27:45) The sun had hidden its light when it saw its creator incarnated, hanging with His own free will on the wood of the Cross, inclined His head, and yielded up His spirit.

Saint Matthew the Apostle

Saint Matthew the Evangelist, was martyred on Tikmet 12. He was one of the Twelve Disciples and his name was Levi. He was the one sitting at the receipt of custom outside the city of Capernaum, when the Lord Christ said to him, “Follow Me.” He left all, rose up, and followed Him. He made for the Lord Christ a great feast in his own house. That made the Pharisees murmur against Him.

The Age of Cross

Cross is the sign of love made by the true Lord, God for His mercy and reconciliation between the Holy Father and mankind. The cross has stood up for the hope and salvation of soul for humans.

Teketsel Tsige

Teketsel Tsige means “be crowned by flower.” Emperor Gebre Meskel started this feast. The base of this feast is proven in the Book of Leviticus, which states the order of God for the Israelis to celebrate the atonement feast on the tenth month. (Levictus 23:25)

Ri’se Awde Amet

Happy Ethiopian New Year!

The Geeze word “awed” as defined by Aleka Kidane Welde Kiflae in his dictionary is “around, circle, from year to year.” The compound words “awde amet” then is termed as 365 days. (Aleka Kiadae Welde Kiflae Dictionary page 685)

Ethiopian Liturgical year has 13 months, 365 days and 366 days once a four year. After this is done and another years comes, the first day is known to be “Ri’se Awde Amet.” It is the first day onwards the fulfillment of a full year and replacement of another new year. The four evangelist Matthew, Mark, Luke and John owns years in turns.

The Month of Pagumen

The world countries have a number of twelve months in a year, grouped into the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. These occasions have their own limited features embracing climatic natural as warmth, coldness and rain for the growth of seed and fruit. Most are known to have a cold weather almost for the entire twelve month of the year. Unique to her nature though, our country Ethiopia is bestowed a calm, warm and sunny season of thirteen month of sunshine.

In different to the last month Pagumen, Holy Church commemorates it for various reasons. The word Pagumen means “additional, extra.” It is contains five days except in the ending of the year of Luke and the beginning of year John, which is six days accord the calendar of the church

“The righteous shall surround me” (Psalm 142:7)

Creatures of God who are amazingly created by the magnificence of Glory of the Almighty, are which reveal His marvelous work. Men are seen to be most magnified and honored amongst the earthly creatures. Not ordinary but extraordinarily though, our Father Abune Takla Haymanot is one whose work of God’s Glory is presented through his heavenly deed.