Ethiopian Christians mark annual Meskel festival as war drags on in north
Bonfire lit on eve of Meskel, an annual festival that marks the finding of the cross that Jesus was crucified on
By Addis Getachew
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church thronged Meskel Square in the heart of the capital Addis Ababa on Monday to witness Demera, a bonfire lighting ceremony on the eve of Meskel, a festival that marks the finding of the cross that Jesus was crucified on.
The bonfire lighting signifies the efforts made by the Roman Empress Helena in the fourth century to find the cross.
The festival came to pass this year in sharp contrast to the ongoing fierce fighting between federal forces and Tigray rebels in northern Ethiopia.
Patriarch Abune Mathias urged worshippers to pray for peace and calm before lighting the giant bonfire.
In a written statement in connection with the annual religious festival, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed made mention of the almost two years of conflict, which he described as being largely a concerted external conspiracy against the state of Ethiopia.
"In spite of the floods of conflict waged against us through external plots, we prevailed," he said.
Meskel is an outdoor religious festival and has been registered at UNESCO as an intangible World Heritage.
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