PBGalerie.ch photoblog - Travel photography

Angel in the street – Axum

PBGalerie.ch — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:30:40 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

Axumite street again…

Axumite street – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:30:53 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

A street of Axum, an UNESCO World Heritage site because of its glorious past.

Learning – Axum – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:30:42 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

A nun reads scriptures around the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion.

Pilgrim in front of Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:30:29 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

Aksum or Axum is the religious capital of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The Aksum archaeological site was inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 1980.

The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is the most important church in Ethiopia.

In the 1950s the Emperor Haile Selassie built a new modern Cathedral next to the old Cathedral of Our Lady Mary of Zion that was open to both men and women. The old church remains accessible only to men, as Mary, symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant allegedly resting in its chapel, is the only woman allowed within its compound.

Reportedly, the Ark was moved to the Chapel of the Tablet adjacent to the old church because a divine heat from the Tablets had cracked the stones of its previous sanctum. Only the guardian monk may view the Ark, in accordance with the Bible accounts of the dangers of doing so for non-Kohanim. The guardian monk is appointed for life by his predecessor before the predecessor dies. If the incumbent guardian dies without naming a successor, then the monks of the monastery hold an election to select the new guardian. The guardian then is confined to the chapel of the Ark of the Covenant for the rest of his life, praying before it and offering incense.

- Entrance of the old Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion

- Inside the old Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion

The old book of Yeha – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:30:05 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

A priest shows us one of the ancients goatskin manuscripts found on the site of Yeha.

Considered as the oldest building in the country (5th siecle BC), the temple of Yeha still holds many mysteries.

Arriving (Tigray rock-hewn church) – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:45:37 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

A faithful man arrived at the Mikael Milhaizengi rock-hewn church.

I found an interesting site that shows inside and outside of the church in 360° :

- Mikael Milhaizengi outside

- Mikael Milhaizengi inside

Symbols – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:30:28 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

Hand cross is carried by all priests in Ethiopia. It often ends with a square symbolizing the Tables of the Law.

As a sign of devotion, people kiss 3 times the 2 ends of the cross.

Reading the Holy Book – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:30:10 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

A priest reads the Holy Scriptures in the Mikael Milhaizengi rock-hewn church.

Majority of people in Ethiopia speak Amharic, a language derived from Ge’ez. Ge’ez remained the learned language of Ethiopia until the nineteenth century. It’s now used only as a liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and only priests still speak that language.

But I don’t know if the above text is Amharic or Ge’ez.

At the door of Mikael Milhaizengi – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:30:42 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

Priest in front of the door of Mikael Milhaizengi church. This rock-hewn church dates from the 8th century.

Priest inside Petros & Paulos church – Ethiopia

PBGalerie.ch — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:00:48 +0000

Continuation of the gallery “Historic route of the North“.

One of Tigray’s most interesting features is a proliferation of rock-hewn churches, often difficult to reach. There would be more than 120.

We are here at Petros & Paulos with the priest, this church seems to be suspended in the middle of the cliff.

I found an interesting site that shows outside of the church in 360° :

- Petros & Paulos outside