Ethiopian Timket: 5 Things To Know about Religious Celebration Making Waves in Africa
- The Timket festival in Ethiopia represents a deep religious activity in the Bible.
- The festival is celebrated every January and has gone viral again this year.
- Legit.ng compiles five things everyone should know about the religious celebration.
Every January, the Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gather to celebrate the festival of Timket.
The colourful festival commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, an observation known as the Epiphany.
Source: Getty Images
In this article, Legit.ng highlights five things to know about Timket, celebrated every year in Ethiopia.
1. Timket is held every January
The Timket festival in Ethiopia is held every January 19 of the year, but during the leap year, it is held on January 20 on leap years.
The Timket celebrations begin on Ketera, the eve of Timket, which is usually on Janury 18 or in leap year, January 19.
2. Celebrations begin on the eve of Timket
On the eve of Timket, replicas of the Ark of the Covenant, also known as Tabots, are carried from churches to nearby water sources in a colourful procession. According to tradition, these Tabots contain the Biblical Ten Commandments.
During the occasion, priests of several local churches wear beautiful white traditional attire with their colourful umbrellas. These sights often lighten up the streets with devotion and joy. The processional crucifixes are also carried along in these processions.
3. What happens on Timket day in Ethiopia?
At dawn on January 19, crowds of worshippers, clad in flowing white traditional garments, gather around sacred water sites across Ethiopia.
Once the tabots are gathered in one place, the priests bless the water, an act identified as one of the revered moments in the Timket celebration. This act signifies a renewal of faith and is known as the dawn ceremony, which is the most important part of the festival.
After that, worshippers and pilgrims would participate in a symbolic baptism conducted by the priest, which is done by sprinkling of the blessed water on them. This spiritual ritual brings the people together in spiritual harmony.
The holy water, known as Timkete-Bahir or Bahire Timket, is collected and stored in natural pools, rivers, streams, or manmade reservoirs. These locations serve as temporary sanctuaries for the tabots overnight.
Source: Getty Images
4. Ethiopia Timket promotes traditional showcase and culture
Aside from the spiritual aspect, Timket also promotes traditional showcase and culture in Ethiopia. The procession to the water features chants and drumbeats, which elevate the mood of locals and visitors.
Drummers from the churches sing spiritual songs as they accompany their community's tabot.
As the Orthodox Christians move in their white garments, a display of traditional dances and melodious hymns are also incorporated in the procession, adding beauty and rich culture to the festival.
5. Timket is recognised by UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognises Timket as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
According to UNESCO:
“Timkat is among the most important Intangible Cultural Heritages of the people of Ethiopia inscribed on the Representative List of Humanity by UNESCO in December 2019.
“UNESCO places high value on intangible and tangible cultural and natural heritages inscribed on Representative List of Humanity and the World Heritage List and supports the efforts to safeguard the heritage properties and pass on to the future generations.”
Source: Legit.ng
