Meskel: Difference between revisions
I changed the wrongs of the description of what a Demera is and the true story of meskel. |
Natritmeyer (talk | contribs) Undid revision 806122217 by 73.153.64.182 (talk) |
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[[File:FDC-MeskelFestivities.jpg|thumb|[[Postmark]]s commemorating Ethiopian First Day Cover, Meskel festivities, December 17, 1974.]] |
[[File:FDC-MeskelFestivities.jpg|thumb|[[Postmark]]s commemorating Ethiopian First Day Cover, Meskel festivities, December 17, 1974.]] |
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'''Meskel''' ({{lang-gez|'''መስቀል'''}}) is an annual [[religious holiday]] in the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox]] and [[Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church|Eritrean Orthodox]] churches, which commemorates the discovery of the [[True Cross]] by the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] Empress Helena ([[Helena of Constantinople|Saint Helena]]) in the fourth century. Meskel occurs on the 17 Meskerem in the [[Ethiopian calendar]] (September 27, [[Gregorian calendar]], or on 28 September in [[leap year]]s). "Meskel" (or "Meskal" or "Mesqel", there are various ways to [[Transliteration|transliterate]] from Ge'ez to Latin script) is [[Ge'ez language|Ge'ez]] for "cross". |
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The festival is known as [[Feast of the Cross|Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross]] in other Orthodox, [[Catholic]] or [[Protestant]] churches. The churches that follow the Gregorian calendar celebrate the feast yearly on September 14. |
The festival is known as [[Feast of the Cross|Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross]] in other Orthodox, [[Catholic]] or [[Protestant]] churches. The churches that follow the Gregorian calendar celebrate the feast yearly on September 14. |
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One explanation for the high rank this festival has in the church calendar is that it is believed that a part of the true Cross has been brought to Ethiopia from Egypt. It is said to be kept at [[Amba Geshen]], which itself has a cross-shaped plan. |
One explanation for the high rank this festival has in the church calendar is that it is believed that a part of the true Cross has been brought to Ethiopia from Egypt. It is said to be kept at [[Amba Geshen]], which itself has a cross-shaped plan. |
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According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the discovery of the True Cross is traditionally believed to have been in March, but Meskel was moved to September to avoid holding a festival during [[Lent]], and because the church commemorating the True Cross in [[Jerusalem]] was dedicated during September.<ref>{{cite web | author=Amanuel Sahle | title=The Byzantine Origin of Meskel | work=Shaebia.org | url=http://www.shaebia.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=3&num=167 | accessdate=September 14, 2005 }}</ref> Ullendorff speculates that Meskel replaced an older festival, with pagan and Hebraic associations, which he believes received its Christian sanction around the reign of Emperor [[Amda Seyon I of Ethiopia|Amda Seyon]] in the fourteenth century. "The most ancient meaning of these feasts – as was also the case in Israel – was no doubt seasonal: the month of Maskaram marked the end of the rains, the resumption of work, and the reopening of communications."<ref name="ullen-114"/> |
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{By Eliora Tewodros} I although as a Ethiopian know the TRUE story of the celebration Meskel. The real story though started at the death of Jesus. When Gods son, Jesus, got hung on the cross, the cross surprisingly earned power from the touch of Jesus. Once the people who hung him up put him down when people touched it(or got near it)healed if they had pain. But, the people were angry. They want on a far away hill and leaved it there. They came up the hill everyday with increasingly more piles of trash. They dumped the trash on it everyday so the could hide it from anyone. A few dozen years later Eleini prayed to god. These were her exact words."Oh,God. Please let me have a son. And when he grows up let him be a king and rule our country! And if you do all this I will find your cross you were crucified on." And as this Eleini swore to god her gift. As Eleini wished a few years later she had a son. And when he grew up he became a king like Eleini whished. So that her wish was granted it was time to accomplish her promise. Pause for a minute. As the person here above my typing tried to tell you about a Demera he was/she was WRONG. First of all Demera's are NOT decorated like a....A FANCY TREE. Second, A Demera is made from broken sticks. And back it up a lot. Its possible rumors were going around about when people get close to the cross they would turn naked from what I have red. Now Eleini MADE a Demera and lit it up with fire. A small fluffy group of clouds flew by. She followed it and ended up to a point when she was led up a hill with piles of trash. She was all alone with just smoke. She dug up the trash and lifted the buried cross. But to her surprise there were THREE PARTS. One where the right hand of Jesus hand and arm landed. Second where the left hand and arm of jesus landed. and the last part where the middle of his body landed. Eleini started placing sick people on the three parts. And whaddya know, the middle part was the healer. She was named Queen and was loved. She did something that is still amazing today. |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 17:18, 20 October 2017
Meskel (Template:Lang-gez) is an annual religious holiday in the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox churches, which commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress Helena (Saint Helena) in the fourth century. Meskel occurs on the 17 Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar (September 27, Gregorian calendar, or on 28 September in leap years). "Meskel" (or "Meskal" or "Mesqel", there are various ways to transliterate from Ge'ez to Latin script) is Ge'ez for "cross".
The festival is known as Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in other Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant churches. The churches that follow the Gregorian calendar celebrate the feast yearly on September 14.
Overview
The Meskel celebration includes the burning of a large bonfire, or Demera, based on the belief that Queen Eleni, as she is known, had a revelation in a dream. She was told that she should make a bonfire and that the smoke would show her where the true cross was buried. So she ordered the people of Jerusalem to bring wood and make a huge pile. After adding frankincense to it the bonfire was lit and the smoke rose high up to the sky and returned to the ground, exactly to the spot where the Cross had been buried.[1]
According to local traditions, this Demera-procession takes place in the early evening the day before Meskel or on the day itself. The firewood is decorated with daisies prior to the celebration. Charcoal from the remains of the fire is afterwards collected and used by the faithful to mark their foreheads with the shape of a cross (compare Ash Wednesday). Edward Ullendorff records a number of beliefs of the meaning of Demera, with some believing that it "marks the ultimate act in the cancellation of sins, while others hold that the direction of the smoke and the final collapse of the heap indicate the course of future events – just as the cloud of smoke the Lord raised over the Tabernacle offered guidance to the children of Israel (Exod. 40:34-38)."[2]
One explanation for the high rank this festival has in the church calendar is that it is believed that a part of the true Cross has been brought to Ethiopia from Egypt. It is said to be kept at Amba Geshen, which itself has a cross-shaped plan.
According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the discovery of the True Cross is traditionally believed to have been in March, but Meskel was moved to September to avoid holding a festival during Lent, and because the church commemorating the True Cross in Jerusalem was dedicated during September.[3] Ullendorff speculates that Meskel replaced an older festival, with pagan and Hebraic associations, which he believes received its Christian sanction around the reign of Emperor Amda Seyon in the fourteenth century. "The most ancient meaning of these feasts – as was also the case in Israel – was no doubt seasonal: the month of Maskaram marked the end of the rains, the resumption of work, and the reopening of communications."[2]
Notes
- ^ "Walta Information Center". Meskel Being Celebrated Across The Nation. Retrieved September 14, 2005.
- ^ a b Ullendorff, p. 114
- ^ Amanuel Sahle. "The Byzantine Origin of Meskel". Shaebia.org. Retrieved September 14, 2005.
References
- Ullendorff, Edward (1968) Ethiopia and the Bible, Schweich lectures series, Oxford University Press for the British Academy, ISBN 0-19-726076-4
External links
- Festival and Holidays on the website of the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in the United Kingdom, with a section on "Meskel - The Finding of the True Cross"