Holy Scriptures – Page 3 – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday School Department

Feast of the Four Beasts

On Hidar 8 day is celebrated the festival of the Four Beasts, who have no bodies, and which are the Wheels of God that bear His Divine Throne according to the testimony concerning them by John the evangelist in his Vision, who says, “I saw a throne in heaven, and He Who sat thereon was brighter than the sun, and more brilliant then the lightning. And I saw in the midst four beasts, full of eyes; the first had the likeness of the face of a lion, the second had the likeness of the face of a bull, the third had the likeness of the face of a man, and the fourth had the likeness of the face of an eagle; and each of them had six wings. And they cried out by day and by night, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Hosts. All the heavens and the earth are filled with the holiness of Thy glory” (Revelation 4:6).

Feast of Mount Quskwam

Every year on Hidar 6, we commemorate the return of our Holy Mother Saint Mary with her Beloved Son Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Saint Joseph and Salome from their flight to Egypt and Ethiopia, then after their rest at Quskwam Mountain.

Crucifixion of Lord Jesus Christ

The Holiday of which Our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified for the salvation of the world, is feast of all Christians. 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.

Queen of flowers

Flowers, especially the red and the white roses have long been associated with spirituality. A red rose signifies love, devotion and commitment. The white one is symbol of innocence, purity and virginity. These are flowers which blossom in the world of flowers just as Saint Mary, our Holy Mother have come to this world for the salvation of us. She is the mother of God and thus a queen of all the saints, righteous, martyrs and even is greater than the angels. So Lady virgin Mary is the Queen of spiritual flowers; and therefore, is called the Rose, for the rose is known to be beautiful amongst all flowers. Moreover, she is the Mystical or Hidden Rose.

The Two Virginal Grooms of Christ

Righteous give their lives to the “Love of God” ridiculing the world, undermining corporal needs and defeating the enemy. Their heart’s desire is in keeping His will to be beneath the law and serve Him. They crave to be His children and live in His kingdom for eternity. For this, their earthly lives are filled with hardships, obstacles and sorrowfulness. They seek not a worldly happiness, wealth or fame. They give in anything that apart them from their spirituality and in reaching their Lord.

In the history of righteous people in scripted in holy scriptures synaxarium and hagiographies, the story of the two virginal grooms of Christ who departed in the same day Tikmet 14 (October 25) are our Fathers Abune Aregawi and Saint Gabra Christos.

Happy New Year!

The creator of time and all creation, the Almighty God who bestows eras with His mercy, has enrich us another new year, for we have transpired from the Year of Luke to the Year of John! Gratitude be to God!

Archangel Saint Raphael

In Hebrew “Rafa’El” means “It is God who has healed.” The Holy Archangel Raphael is an angel who provides healing to the earth and to its inhabitants. He is celebrated, by the Church, primarily on Pagumen 3 (September 8). Saint Raphael cares for the convalescence of the ill, serves as the unseen guide for those who are travelling diligently with important chores. He is the protector of weddings and conjugal love.

Abune Tekle Haymanot

Our patron Father Abune Tekle Haymanot is the most prominent saint in Ethiopia. He is one of the very few, if not the only human on earth given wings! It is good to note here that saint Tekle Haymanot is one of the very few saints that Christians celebrate their birthday. He is probably the only Ethiopian saint celebrated officially in foreign churches such as Egypt and Rome. He has a monthly feast on the 24th day of every month in the Ethiopian calendar (which is the same as the Coptic calendar and derived from it). He performs many miracles daily in the lives of his children and we commemorate it in holy church. (Coptic Synaxarium)

Saint John Chrysostom

Saint John Chrysostom was born in 347 in Antioch, Syria. His father, Secundus, died soon after the birth of his son. His mother, Anthusa, was a Christian venerated for her faith and endeavors. She was twenty years when her husband died but was not remarried and only focused on raising her son and daughter.

The Feast of Job the righteous

The righteous Job departed on Genbot 2, (May 10). He was a righteous man in his generation and upright in his time, as the bible testified about him: “… there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8)