Last week I was privileged with my colleague Betty to attend the annual Ethiopian event of Temket, the main festival for orthodox Christians in Ethiopia and the equivalent of our Epiphany. The concept of revelation is similar to all such ceremonies, but here in Ethiopia the focus is on Christ’s baptism and His first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The event is spread over 3 days and involves processions of “tabots” (models of the Ark of the Covenant) from each church involved to the place of celebration and then back to the churches.
There are 3 particularly spectacular ceremonies each year – in Lalibela, Gondar and Addis Ababa. I attended part of the latter, on the Friday, which was presided over by the Patriarch of Ethiopia (also currently President of the World Council of Churches). Unlike me, many of the particiants had been up all night. The Patriarch and clergy were all in richly coloured robes, many of them bearing elaborate unbrellas, and there were many foreign guests present. We sat around a pool which recalled the baptismal origin of the ceremony – in this location believers were not leaping in to renew their vows (as they are elsewhere), but the Patriarch and his clergy enthusiastically sprinkled us with water from hoses at one point in the ceremony. We also witnessed dances and songs performed by the different churches participating.
Western Christians commemorate Epiphany in early January, and the emphasis is more on the visit to Christ by the Magi or Wise Men (or Three Kings in Nativity Plays) – and therefore his manifestation to the Gentiles, or non-Jewish peoples. In the UK, Epiphany is linked with Twelth Night, the last day of the Christmas period. There is a tradition of folk plays; spicy drinks and food (a reference to the Magi); and even practical jokes associated with this festival historically. It is good for us to be aware of our differing festivals and their cultural significance and to observe them together – it helps us to understand each other better and to break down barriers.
