Feasts of Saint Gabriel
Dear Children of God! how are you? How did you spend the last weeks? Are you attending the Churches on Sabbath with you families? We hope you are learning Church education alongside the worldly one. Children, spiritual knowledge help you to become obedient, humble and brave children. You must not also forget the first semester test and thus studying well and hard is expected from you. So be brave and strong, ok? Good!
Children, today we are going to tell the story about feast of Archangel Gabriel and his Church called, Kulubi Saint Gabriel, found in Dire Dawa, Harar 462 Kilo meters from Addis Ababa. The Ark of Archangel Saint Gabriel is found in this Church and we will tell you the story in short as follows.
Once in our country, there was a woman called Yodit Gudit, who opposed Christianity, destroyed Churches, massacred (killed) laities (Christians) and Priests. At that time, Christians migrated (flee) from Axum to Zeway carrying Arks, Holy Scriptures and Icons.
Then after the hard times had passed, the cruel woman called Yodit died and Christians came back to their home town Axum but left the Ark of Saint Gabriel’s’ in its previous place. And when they searched for it, were unable to find it. Abba Lewi who lived in that era was order to place it back. This righteous father carried the Ark and on his journey, Saint Gabriel was revealed to him and said, “Take it to the place where I will show you.” Abba Lewi was led by the Angel of God, Saint Gabriel and reached to the place where the Church is currently found and he was told wonderful miracles was going to be made in the place and ordered him to put the Ark there. So Abba Lewi put honorably in the cave.
After many years, Prince Ras Mekonen vowed to build Church of Saint Gabriel on that area in finding solution for the disagreement between people regarding the place. Therefore, the fighting among people stopped and peace was made. So, Prince Ras Mekonen build the Church of as he promised. On Hamele 19, 1884 (Ethiopian Calendar) the Ark entered the temple and on Tahesas 19, 1888 (Ethiopian Calendar) the Church was build and blessed by Abune Mathias.
Dear Children of God! it is Emperor Haile Selassie who built the current Church of Saint Gabriel. Believers hearing his miraculous work use gather from different places to celebrate the feast and so the King rebuilt it expanding the sacred place (Holy Place) for carrying wide amount believers.
Accord their faith, Christians travel from all over the country to Kulubi Saint Gabriel, in celebrating the feast of the Archangel in Hamele 19, which is the day the Ark entered the temple and in particular to Tahisasa 19 for two major reasons. The first one, we mentioned earlier was because it was the day the construction of the Church. The other one is for the commemoration of the miraculous save of the three children Anania, Azaria and Misael by Saint Gabriel from burning fire.
Children, may we remind you that we have told you the story of these three children of God in our lessons a year. But, you can read the whole of it in the Holy Bible in the Prophecy of Daniel Chapter 3 beginning number 3 up to 30.
Farewell, we have finished for now but leave you with a reading assignment of the Book of Prophet Daniel. And do not forget to celebrate the Feast of Archangel Saint Gabriel with your family.
May Archangel’s Saint Gabriel’s prayer and blessing be with us, Amen!