Ethiopian Christmas
Vigil lightening at Lalibela, Ethiopia during Christmas
Vigil lightening at Lalibela during Christmas
Observed by
TypeEastern Christian
SignificanceBirth of Jesus
Celebrations
Date7 January
FrequencyAnnual
Related toChristmas

Ethiopian Christmas (Amharic: ገና[lower-alpha 1]; Oromo: Ayaana; Tigrinya: ልደት[lower-alpha 2]) is a holiday celebrated by the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox churches, as well as Protestant and Catholic denominations in Ethiopia, on 7 January (Tahsas 29 in the Ethiopian calendar).

One of the district features of Ethiopian Christmas is a traditional game similar to hockey. The game is believed to have evolved from the shepherds tending their flocks on the night Jesus was born.[1][2]

Overview

Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated on 7 January (Tahsas 29 in the Ethiopian calendar) as the day of Jesus' birth, alongside the Russian, Greek, Eritrean and Serbian Orthodox Churches.[3] It is also celebrated by Protestant and Catholic denominations in the country.[4]

Ethiopian Orthodox Christians are expected to fast for 43 days, a period known as Tsome Nebiyat or the Fast of the Prophets. Fasting also includes abstaining from all animal products and psychoactive substances, including meat and alcohol. Starting on 25 November, the fast believed to be "cleansing the body of sin" as they await the birth of Jesus.[5]

Festivities

On Christmas Day, a thin white cotton garment called netela is worn. On the Christmas Eve, Ethiopian Christians attend an overnight church service, usually starting around 6:00pm and finishing at 3:00am. People line up surrounding a church and begin a long, looping procession around the circumference of the church. The festivities are a communal experience and a commitment of faith.[5] The holiday attracts pilgrimages to the Lalibela Churches.[6]

Gena

Haile Selassie playing the traditional sport

Gena (ገና) or Qarsa (ቃርሳ) is a traditional field hockey game popular in the Ethiopian highlands.[5][7] It is a game played in the space between villages but with no defined boundaries.[8]

It is a game played in the space between villages, a field of about 100 yards, but with no defined boundaries.[9] It is played among two teams who attempt to throw a wooden ball in the air and hit it with sticks, the goal being to prevent the opposing team from bring the ball to their village, or score it in your goal.[10][11]

The game is closely associated with Gena, the January 7 celebration of Christmas, from which it gets its name along with another, rugby-like, sport.[12] Historically, Imperial Ethiopian soldiers acquired proficiency in weapon use from a young age by being trained from childhood with games such as Akandura (Darts) and Gena, which imitated combat.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Christmas in Ethiopia.

Notes

  1. ↑ transliterated as Genna or Ganna
  2. ↑ transliterated as Ledet or Leddat

References

  1. ↑ "Ethiopian Christmas in Ethiopia in 2023". Office Holidays. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  2. ↑ JPC-DESIGN, whychristmas?com /. "Christmas in Ethiopia on whychristmas?com". www.whychristmas.com. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  3. ↑ "Introducing the Ethiopian Christmas! | Tana Forum". Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  4. ↑ "Ethiopians celebrate Genna / Christmas today – New Business Ethiopia". 7 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  5. 1 2 3 "Christmas in Ethiopia | Brilliant Ethiopia". www.brilliant-ethiopia.com. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  6. ↑ Admin (2022-01-07). "Ethiopian Christmas - Orthodox Christmas - celebrated". Borkena Ethiopian News. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  7. ↑ Graham, John (7 September 2001). Ethiopia: Off the Beaten Trail. Addis Ababa: Shama Books. p. 167. ISBN 9781931253116. OCLC 51553876.
  8. ↑ Wolde-Georgis, Tsegay (30 November 2004). "Holiday Celebrations among the Highlanders of Ethiopia". In Fuller, Linda K. (ed.). National Days/National Ways: Historical, Political, and Religious Celebrations around the World. West Port, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 92, 99. ISBN 9780275972707. OCLC 547274920.
  9. ↑ Wolde-Georgis, Tsegay (30 November 2004). "Holiday Celebrations among the Highlanders of Ethiopia". In Fuller, Linda K. (ed.). National Days/National Ways: Historical, Political, and Religious Celebrations around the World. West Port, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 92, 99. ISBN 9780275972707. OCLC 547274920.
  10. ↑ Lord, Edith (1970). Queen of Sheba's heirs: cultural patterns of Ethiopia. Acropolis Books. p. 53. ISBN 978-0874910117. OCLC 117120.
  11. ↑ Crawley, Michael (4 October 2016). "The two-hour marathon: who is it for?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  12. ↑ Kagwanja, Peter (24 December 2016). "Shield Christmas fete from the perils of capitalist". Daily Nation. Archived from the original on 30 January 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
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