Helen and I have just returned from two weeks travelling in Ethiopia over Christmas.
We had a great time, visiting the source of the Nile near Bahir Dar, the ancient rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela and the Bale Mountains where there is the largest population of the world’s most endangered canid; the Ethiopian Wolf.
Visiting Lalibela was one of my highlights; a small rural market town high in the Lasta mountains of northern Ethiopia, it is famous for its eleven rock Churches that date back to the 12C. It is named after King Lalibela who, according to legend, was transported to heaven and shown a city Churches carved out of rock and told to build a copy on earth as a new Jerusalem. With the help of angels this is what he did, carving out Churches from single pieces of rock, caves and cliff faces.
I went round early one Sunday morning which is the best time to visit. The morning sun paints the rocks a warm pink against a blue sky. The priests were finishing their services that had started at midnight, chanting ancient songs to the beat of a drum and the chiming of cymbals called sistrum.
As you scramble round these Churches you walk along trenches, squeeze past rock faces, climb through holes and feel your way along lightless passages.
As I entered one Church, Bet Gebriel-Rafael the priests chanting at the back of the Church made me welcome. Seeing my interest, I was soon presented with a stick to put under my arm to keep me upright for the long service and a sistrum to join in the worship. As I tried to keep time and looked up at this huge chunk of rock formed into pillars, benches, galleries and a roof, I could see countless small chipping marks where it had been carved. It may not have been the work of angels but it was certainly an impressive statement of faith.
Later I continued on my journey through a 50m. tunnel that, along with everything else in Lalibela, has its own special religious significance. This is known as ‘Hell’ and as you stumble through the pitch black you begin to get the idea. The experience became even more surreal when I realised that there were a large group of nuns coming along the tunnel in the opposite direction chanting praises to Christ in the midst of hell.
As they clumsily felt their way past us they continued singing and as they reached the far end and the light began to appear ahead of them, there arose a high and loud ululation of praise. As they still prepared for the Ethiopian Christmas on January 7th, the experience seemed a wonderful present for my own Christmas.
“In the tender compassion of our God,
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
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