Epiphany

The annual Timket celebration is held across Ethiopia on Tir 11 E.C (January 19 G.C) with processions of priests carrying replicas of the Ark of Covenant, locally known as ‘Tabot’s, escorted by thousands of believers. The day is observed in commemoration of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River. Timket is not only one of the major feasts of the Ethiopian church but it is also a public holiday when offices and schools across the country are closed. 

Though Timket is celebrated on January 19, the season, according to the church’s tradition, covers the period from the eve of the festival to the start of the three-day fast observed in  commemoration of the fast the people of Nineveh observed to avert God’s wrath. During the Timket season, the church praises the Lord reciting chants and readings pertaining to the birth, circumcision, and baptism of Christ as well his miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. (Luke 2:21; John 2:1-11)

 Baptism of Jesus Christ by St. John 

 Christ’s baptism is recorded in the third chapter of the Gospel of Mathew as follows.  “‘I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Mathew 3:11-17)  

The baptism of the Lord is also recorded in  Mark 1:9–11 and Luke 3:21–23. Those two evangelists recorded the voice that came from heaven as addressing Jesus by saying "You are beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased".

 The Mystery of Baptism 
 The things that happened after the baptism of Christ reveal important facts for us:    
  Revelation of Holy Trinity: after Christ was baptized, the three persons of Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) have been revealed distinctly. The voice of God the Father came from heaven saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased”. God the Son, incarnate in the human body, was baptized by St. John in Jordan River. And the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and perched on the Son. (Matt. 3:13-17)

The opening of heaven: right after Christ was baptized, the heavens were opened indicating that we have been redeemed from Adam’s sin that led to the closure of the heavens through believing in Jesus Christ and baptism. This reveals the spiritual value baptism has as an opener of the heavens. (Galatians 3:27). 

The Origin of Timket Festival in Ethiopia 

As land of God, Ethiopia has been following the teachings of the apostles and started celebrating epiphany at the national level in 530 AD during the reign of Emperor Gebre Meskel.  In 1140 AD, king and priest Lalibela made an amendment to the existing tradition of the Epiphany celebration by which he made a decree that urged all arks of covenant (Tabots) to be carried to a river or pool together to bless the waters. 
 
In 1426 AD, following a proposal from scholars, Emperor Zer’a Ya’ekob declared that the Tabots be taken to nearby pools on the eve (January 18) and stay the night there blessing the nation. In 1486 AD, Emperor Naod also made an order that the Tabots be escorted by the faithful in colorful processions. 
 
Following those traditions, the Tabots are taken to rivers and pools early afternoon on the eve of Timket, which is known as “ketera” meaning ‘making a reservoir for the celebration’. Each Tabot is carried overhead by a high priest to the nearby body of water accompanied by thousands of church members chanting hymns. 

The celebration is also augmented by spiritual dancing (known as shibsheba), drum beating, horn blowing, prayer stick waving and sistra rattling.  The Divine Liturgy is recited near the pools early in the morning. The water is then blessed and sprinkled towards the assembled congregation, some of whom immerse themselves in the water, symbolically renewing their baptismal vows. However, the festival does not end there; the crowd will escort the Tabots back to their churches at the end of the celebration on January 19. 

Though epiphany is a religious festival, many ethnic groups in Ethiopia celebrate it in line with their cultures. This adds to the appeal of the festival for foreign visitors and makes it one of the national celebrations which attract many tourists to Ethiopia. This unique festival qualifies as a tourism asset worthy of being recorded in UNESCO’s intangible world heritage list next to Meskel (True Cross) celebrations. 

Given the spiritual and cultural values of the festival, it is the responsibility of every Ethiopian to preserve this longstanding tradition and hand it over to the coming generation as it is.  

 Source:
•  The Holy Bible: The King James Version (1769)
• Megabe Mstir Welde Rufael Fetahi and Kesis Samuel Eshetu (translated by Dr. Merkeb Mekuria), 2014. Betimketu Dagmenga weleden, pp.132 (Special publication by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, Addis Ababa: Tinsae Zegubae