Thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gathered in Addis Ababa on Saturday for Meskel, filling Meskel Square with prayers, hymns and religious processions before the lighting of the traditional Demera bonfire. Meskel, which means “cross” in Amharic, commemorates the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition of the discovery of the True Cross by Empress Helena in the fourth century. The festival is celebrated nationwide and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. The celebration took place against a tense backdrop, with renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia raising concerns over a return to wider conflict in Tigray.
The violence has further strained the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, which ended a two-year war that the African Union estimates killed about 600,000 people. Tigrayan forces recently took control of airports in the region, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to suspend flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire. Reports have also emerged of disrupted communications and restrictions on roads connecting Tigray with Afar. For many worshippers in Addis Ababa, the festival offered an opportunity to pray for an end to the renewed tensions.
“Peace is essential for everything,” said Orthodox deacon Fikreab Lebeza, stressing that lasting peace was necessary for dialogue and normal life. Other worshippers called for unity, while Orthodox priest Aba Thomas Abeje compared the pieces of wood brought together to form the Demera with the need for Ethiopians to stand together despite their differences. The celebration also drew international visitors, highlighting Meskel’s importance not only as a religious observance but also as a major expression of Ethiopia’s cultural heritage.
