Zemene Tsigie (The Season of Flower)
October 8, 2015
By Kassa Nigus
Zemene Tsigie፡ is the period that ranges from Meskerem 26 – Hidar 5 E.C (October 6 –November 14 G.C). During this time, the Ethiopian faithful devotes in praying, fasting and other generous activities in memory of the flight of the Holy Family and their hardship in the wilderness of Egypt.
The fasting is performed on one’s free will for it is out of the seven official fasting periods for abundant blessings he/she expects from God through the intercession of St. Mary.
The flight into Egypt has a biblical base as stated in the Gospel of Matthew : “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” (Matthew 2:13-23). Joseph fled to Egypt with St. Mary and infant Son Jesus after a visit by Magi because they informed that King Herod intends to kill the infants of that area. When the Magi came in search of Jesus, they went to Herod the Great in Jerusalem and asked where to find the newborn "King of the Jews". Herod became paranoid that the child will threaten his throne, and sought to kill him (Matthew 2:1-8). Herod ordered the Massacre of the Innocents in hope of killing the child (Matthew 2:16-18). But an angel appeared to Joseph and told Joseph to take Jesus and his mother into Egypt (Matthew 2:13).
During this season of flight, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church offers special hymns, the so called Mahilete Tsige (The Hymn of the Flower) and Seqoqawe Dingil (The Lamentation of the Virgin) along with the hymn of St Yared (Digua). These strophes of hymns composed in memory of the hardship of the Holy Family comparing Jesus and His Mother Mary by fruit and flower accompanied with many historical and religious facts as the Prophet Isaiah has compared Jesus by fruit and His Mother Mary by flower as stated: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” (Isaiah 11:1).
On Sundays and other holidays, the clergy, often joined by a large number of people, gather around mid night for the divine office and sung up to the time of Mass. After the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the believers especially in rural areas prepared a banquet (wine and food) in every Sundays of Zemene Tsigie in the name of St Mary and celebrate the season in such charitable activities. According to the Ethiopian church tradition, it is to remember the coming of St Mary to Ethiopia and the hospitality of Ethiopians to the holy family.
May her prayer and intercession be up on us all!