Easter Symbolizes Peace, Unity among Ethiopians: Archbishop, Expert Say

Addis  Ababa   April 28/2019 Easter in Ethiopia is culturally and socially significant in sustaining peace and unity among Ethiopians, Religious Leaders and Cultural Expert told ENA.

Ethiopian Orthodox Church Archbishop, Abba Mathiowos told ENA people celebrate the day after the long build-up of suffering which has taken place to represent Christ's fasting for forty days and forty nights.

He pointed out that the Ethiopian Easter promotes the spirit of fellowship and sharing among the adherent of Christianity and non-Christian members of the society.

Easter is unique in the sense that Christians denomination celebrate the day with a strong wisdom of love, togetherness and helping poor and needy ones, he said.

As Jesus Christ was crucified and died for peace and love for all peoples of the world, Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church follows his teachings through preaching peace, love and unity among all Ethiopians, he noted.

“Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church prays for peace to all human beings while giving ritual services in churches and monasteries during the 40 days of Fasting season,” he stated.

Ethiopian Easter is colorfully celebrated with hoping for peace, love and unity among all peoples in Ethiopia and the world as well the entire living creatures, he stated.

He also urged Ethiopian Christian followers to celebrate the Easter festivity with peace and sprit of benevolence.

Cultural Heritage Curator at Authority for Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Desalegn Birara said even if Ethiopian Easter is religious holiday, the festival has cultural elements that strengthen social cohesion between followers of the religion and others.

“Helping one another is a tradition during Ethiopian Easter. Followers prepare festive-meal and shares for the poor. Respecting one another, love and integrity has been seen during the festival,” he added.

The celebration has great social significance in terms enhancing unity among Ethiopians who also jointly celebrate with Ethiopian Christians in villages, towns and cities across the country, he noted.

It is also the time that local elders mediate and negotiate conflicting person to forgive each other in celebrating the day together with peace and harmony, he pointed out.

Therefore, the social values within the celebrations of Ethiopian Easter are opportunities to promote peace, unity and integrity among peoples of Ethiopia and the values need to be conserved as well as to be transformed to generation to generation, he stated.

Ethiopian Easter, also known as Fasika is a major religious event that follows the 55 day Lent fasting during which Orthodox Christians abstain from eating meat and dairy products. Of course, it is a time when there is more focus on refraining from evil actions and thoughts.

Followers often have prepared traditional food and locally brewed alcoholic drinks called tej, tella and katikalla as part of the festivity.

Easter, which marks the end of the Great Lent, is a day faithful are attired with multihued as traditional white clothes for this special occasion.