Several millions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians Thursday celebrated Epiphany that marks the travel of Jesus Christ from Galilee to River Jordan and his baptism by John the Baptist.
This year, Epiphany also called ‘Timket’ celebration started on Wednesday afternoon as Tabots (replicas of the Ark of the Covenants) from several churches came to spend a night in tents together.
The priests who were ceremoniously carrying the Talbots to their designated public spaces were accompanied by tens of thousands of singing and chanting faithful.
The people spend the night attending night-long prayers; including the Eucharistic Liturgy.Hundreds of thousands participate in the main festival on Thursday.
Orthodox Church Patriarch Abune Mathias made benediction, the prayer and sprinkled holy water on the participants.
The patriarch in his benediction said the celebration was a reminder of the need for peace, compassion, and love.
Similar celebrations took place across the nation including Gondar City with faithful attending the festival in places designated for the festival.
Each Tabot later returned back to its respective church with an even more colorful ceremony with crowds singing spiritual songs.
The celebration across the nation has concluded without any security problems, according to a statement issued by the Ethiopian Federal police.
Ethiopian epiphany/Timket is the fourth intangible heritage of humanity inscribed by UNESCO, next to Meskel, the Geda system, and Fichee Chambalala.
MG/as/APA