Millions of Christian faithful across Ethiopia mark the holy week and celebrate Easter

Описание: (20 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 18 April 2025
1. Orthodox Christians at Bole Medhanialem Church
2. Wide of Bole Medhanialem Church
3. Various of devotees participating in spiritual activities
4. Various of priests patting faithful with olive branches as part of Good Friday ceremony
to confess their sins and seek absolution
5. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Leul Adbaru, priest at Bole Medhanialem Church:
"This day is a sacred day on which our Saviour Jesus Christ brought honour when He was crucified on the cross for our sake. So this feast holds special significance for Ethiopians because it commemorates when the immortal Son of God died for our sake, thereby redeeming us.”
6. Various of Good Friday ceremony, priests patting faithful with olive branches
7. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Leul Adbaru, priest at Bole Medhanialem Church:
"Ethiopians ought to believe, understanding both for whom Jesus Christ died and that what God desires is this: to love the brother, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to help the afflicted, to visit the prisoner, to encourage the fainthearted, to say to the afflicted, 'I am with you,' and to show compassion - not strife. God loves mercy. Since our God, who died out of love, desires love, we ought therefore to live in love.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 19 April 2025
++NIGHT SHOTS++
8. Wide of Bole Medhanialem Church with devotees gathered to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus and the end of a two-month fast
9. Various of worshippers attending midnight service
10. Close of worshipper
11. Woman with candle
12. Various of worshippers with candles
13. Mid of worshippers
14. Various of volunteers preparing free Easter meals for local residents
15. Various of local residents queuing for the Easter meal
16. Various of volunteers serving Easter meals
17. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Mulumebet Jembere, church volunteer:
“On this day we have prepared this feast in commemoration of the glorious celebration wherein our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for our sake, was crucified, tortured, died, and was buried, and rose again on the third day. We have been holding such gatherings for over 40 years. It is a feast we offer unto all, including the holy priests and deacons. Tomorrow also, the needy shall spend the entire day abiding with us. Our Easter is celebrated with the Medhanialem Church and with the needy.”
18. Various of Easter meals being served
19. SOUNDBITE (Amharic) Fitsum Getachew, local resident:
“Easter! Praise be to God! At this feast prepared by our devout mothers we have partaken of all things, even chunks of raw meat and we are giving thanks unto God.”
20. Local residents enjoying the Easter meal
STORYLINE:
Ethiopians marked Easter festivities with vows to embrace sacrifice, love and peace in a country facing armed conflict and other challenges.

During Fasika, as Easter is known, Christians of all denominations - including the majority Orthodox group - come together to celebrate Jesus' death and resurrection.

For some Ethiopians, religious festivals in recent months have acquired more meaning amid conflict in the Amhara region and instability in neighbouring Tigray, where a vicious war ended with a peace deal in 2022.

At Bole Medhanialem Church in Addis Ababa, large crowds of worshipers took part in religious services on Good Friday.

Leul Adbaru, a priest, emphasized the importance of understanding the sacrifice made by Jesus, urging the faithful to reflect on its meaning.







AP video by Amanuel Medhin



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