16 SEP 15:00-23:00u HANSE-MESKEL | ሃንሰ -መስቀል ፈስቲቫል | 2023

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ABOUT Hanse Meskel festival

With more than 50 countries and countless different cultures, the African continent is home to some pretty spectacular annual events and festivals. Some are influenced by religion, and offer visitors the opportunity to witness moments of great faith while gaining a better understanding of the beliefs upon which a country’s culture is built. Others showcase Africa’s incredible creative talent, through the mediums of film, art and/or music. In this article, we look at one of top 10 festivals in Africa.

Meskel መስቀል።

Meskel is a Christian festival that has been observed in habesha people today Eritrea and Ethiopia for over 1,600 years. It commemorates the discovery of the true cross upon which Jesus was crucified. In Asmara’s Bhti Meskerem Sqear and in Addis Ababa’s Meskel Square, the celebration is marked with a colorful procession of priests, deacons, and choir singers who walk around a huge pyre, bearing ceremonial crosses and wooden torches decorated with olive leaves. The torch-bearers set fire to the pyramid-shaped structure, then the faithful use the ash to make the sign of the cross on their foreheads.