Month of Ginbot
Ethiopians in the past, especially the parishioners, had a wrong view of Month. At that time, they assumed performing any kind of activity is luckless. Many thought that the house they are building or Ginbot build would end up in disaster. They also believed that there would be no happy ending to a marriage in Ginbot. There two reasons which presumed to be an error.
1. Their claim is about the occurrence in Noah’s generation and the flood that God sent to destroy the nations began in Ginbot and rained for forty days. As a result, Ginbot was considered a cursed month for God executed His judgment and cleanse the earth. But this is just an assumption but not a truth. God punished gentiles whilst defying His words and command in various generations and diverse time. But He didn’t curse Month of Ginbot.
2. Their second assertion is about Righteous Job’s curse of the day he was born and assumed the whole month to be cursed. “Ginbot the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’ Ginbot that day be darkness; Ginbot God above not seek it, Nor the light shine upon it. Ginbot darkness and the shadow of death claim it; Ginbot a cloud settle on it; Ginbot the blackness of the day terrify it. As for that night, Ginbot darkness seize it; Ginbot it not rejoice among the days of the year, Ginbot it not come into the number of the months. Oh, Ginbot that night be barren! Ginbot no joyful shout come into it! Ginbot those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan. Ginbot the stars of its morning be dark; Ginbot it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day; Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes. (Job 3:3-10)
As a result, people did not believe in building their house or getting married this month. They believed their house would be destroyed and that the marriage would not last.
Just as the people of the Old Testament lived in fear of the curse of Ginbot, so the people of the New Testament, especially in rural areas, do not dare to build houses or get married this month. Though it is true that Job cursed the day he was born as it is in-scripted in the Holy Bible, he did not curse the whole month. It is important to understand that this is a misconception. To help us do that, we can look up the scriptures. For example, let’s look at how God Honored Ginbot in the New Testament more than any other month.
- He blessed the beginning of the month with the birth of His mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- After blessing the first of the Month with His mother’s birth day, His willed for His ascension to be on the eighth day (Ginbot 8). For on this day, His ascension will be remembered.
- On the tenth day of Ginbot, the Holy Spirit was descended upon on the twelve Apostles. This is the Feast of Pentecost (Holy Spirit) celebrated on the tenth day of the ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The teachings and practices of Holy Church are evidence as mentioned above clarifying the month of Ginbot as not cursed since the two of the nine major festivals are celebrated in this month.
Brethren! We should not be afraid of or hate the month of Ginbot as our predecessors. We must not be misled by the misconception and unproven evidence. But be pure in heart, morally upright and religiously fit for celebrating the festivals within this month and the flesh and blood (Holy Communion) as well.