JANUARY
Leddet (also known as Genna or Christmas) 6-7 January.
The faithful attend all-night church services, often moving from one church to another. On Christmas day, the traditional games of Genna (a kind of Hockey) and sometimes a Gugs (a kind of polo) are played, along with horse racing. Priests don their full regalia. Lalibela and Axum is one of the best places to experience, Addis Ababa is also good.

Timkat (epiphany, celebrating Christ’s baptism) 19 January
The three - day festival is the most colorful of the year. The church Tabots (replica of the Arc of the covenant) are taken to nearby body of water on the afternoon of the eve of Timkat. During the night, the priests and faithful participate in a vigil around the Tabots. The following morning, the crowds gather around the water, which is blessed, then splashed on to them; religious vows are renewed. The Tabot is then paraded back to the church accompanied by much singing and dancing. Gonder is considered the best place to be for Timkat; Addis Ababa is also good.

MARCH – APRIL
Palm Sunday (Hosanna)
The holly week begins with Palm Sunday (Hosanna), commemorating the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem. Palm branches are blessed by priests and distributed. In Axum they are carried by a mule, symbolizing Jesus’ riding a donkey into Jerusalem. Many people, especially children, plait palm leaves into headbands or rings, sometimes in a cruciform form hanging on around their neck.

Good Friday, March/April
From Thursday evening before Good Friday, the faithful fast until the Easter service which ends at 3am on Easter Sunday.

Fasika (orthodox Easter)
Fasika marks the end of a vegetarian fast of 55 days, in which no animal’s product is eaten. Officially, nothing should be consumed until the church service finishes at around 3am. In the past many of Ethiopian’s enemies took advantage of the fasting period to inflict heavy causalities on its weakened armies.

SEPTEMBER
Kiddus Yohnnes( New Year) 11 September.
Ethiopian New Year (also known as Enkutatash) is an important social and family event. Traditionally, new clothes are bought for the occasion, particularly for the children, and relatives and friends are visited. Special feasts are prepared.

Meskel (Finding of the True Cross) 27 September.
This two- day festival is the most colorful festival after Timkat. Bonfires are built topped by a cross to which flowers are tied, most commonly the Meskel daisy. After the bonfires are blessed, they are lit, and dancing and singing begins around them. Priests don their full regalia. Addis Ababa, Axum and Gonder are good places to experience Meskel.

NOVEMBER
Festival of Maryam Zion 30 November
This is one of Ethiopia’s largest festivals, though it’s only celebrated in Axum.

 

DECEMBER
Kulubi Gabriel 28 December
Although not on the official religious holiday list, large numbers of Ethiopians make a pilgrimage to the venerate Kulubi Gabriel church near Dire Dawa in the east Ethiopia.

Ashenda or Shaday (Traditional Girls Carnival)
Mekelle and Sekota are cherished by special occasion called Ashenda in Mekelle or shadey called in Sekota that takes place every year, among (22-24) August. It is an event most yearned by girls. Days before the down of the occasion, girls as used to be, make their Ashenda dresses and Kohli (traditional eye’s cosmetics around their eyelids) ready. They redden their hands with Sasila (a day chopped from carrot-like roots) as well plait their hair. Nowadays the event is celebrated with completion of cultural shows among the zonal girls official.
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