(Apr 26, 2011, Times live, Johannesburg)--Hundreds of Ethiopian Coptic Christians gathered at their Holy Trinity Church , in the Johannesburg
This year, the church's Easter calendar coincided with the Western calendar, as it does once every four years. The church does not use the Gregorian calendar. "Usually, we celebrate Easter before the Western calendar," said the church's general secretary, Habtemariam.
In the church, worshippers wearing white gowns greeted each other and chanted hymns and Bible verses in their Amharic language, to the beating of drums and the clapping of hands.
During the church's Easter fast, no meat, eggs or dairy products are eaten for 55 days. On Saturday, the last day of fasting, the church was filled with the smell of incense and worshippers carried candles throughout the ceremony.
Orthodox Ethiopian Christians, Habtemariam said, spend much of the Easter weekend confessing their sins or reading the Bible. The Ethiopian Bible contains 81 books as opposed to Western Christianity's 66.
Many of their hymns were written in the sixth century by Ethiopian scholar Saint Yared after he was inspired, the Ethiopians believe, by revelations from God. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has about 3000 members across the country.
Source: Times live
Epiphany celebrated colorfully
This year, the church's Easter calendar coincided with the Western calendar, as it does once every four years. The church does not use the Gregorian calendar. "Usually, we celebrate Easter before the Western calendar," said the church's general secretary, Habtemariam.
In the church, worshippers wearing white gowns greeted each other and chanted hymns and Bible verses in their Amharic language, to the beating of drums and the clapping of hands.
During the church's Easter fast, no meat, eggs or dairy products are eaten for 55 days. On Saturday, the last day of fasting, the church was filled with the smell of incense and worshippers carried candles throughout the ceremony.
Orthodox Ethiopian Christians, Habtemariam said, spend much of the Easter weekend confessing their sins or reading the Bible. The Ethiopian Bible contains 81 books as opposed to Western Christianity's 66.
Many of their hymns were written in the sixth century by Ethiopian scholar Saint Yared after he was inspired, the Ethiopians believe, by revelations from God. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has about 3000 members across the country.
Source: Times live
Epiphany celebrated colorfully
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