Religion and Tradition in Abyssinia

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20261, 9 November 1935, Page 12

Religion and Tradition in Abyssinia

(Specially Written for "The Timaru Herald" by "The Man in the Street”)

“There is something touching about these black men who worship Christ With Such primitive, but I am told, heretical devotion. I have never encountered any people who seem so gentle and so meek,” says Mr H. V. Morton in that excellent book “In the Steps of the Master,” after he has described a visit to an Abyssinian church built on the banks of the Jordan and dedicated to St. John. And a perusal of much literature about the religion of the Abyssinians cannot produce a clearer definition of Abyssinian faith and Abyssinian religion than those few lines by Mr Morton. Two influences would seem to be the main factors in the lives of the Abyssinians. Olie is religion fend the other is tradition. Intermingled, those two factors have, through the centuries, produced a patriotism that is almost fearful in its intensity. Their religion is mixed Up With their traditions, and their traditions are mixed Up with tlieir religion; for, the ancestry of their rulers, the derivation of their faith and their customs, go back into history until they fade away into exotic and strange legends. Indeed, the available literature on all those subjects leaves the impression that Abyssinia offers some author who is willing to endure the Abyssinian climate, and who is willing to do diligent research work, an opportunity to prepare an unusual volume full of stories about startling customs and unknown mysteries. According to one authority, Colonel P. T. Etherington, who writes in “The Strand Magazine,” the priestly caste is all powerful in Abyssinia to-day, and constitutes one quarter of the population. The same authority states that the Ethiopians were Christians before Europe came in contact with Christianity; and that contention is supported by recognised historians who believe that Christianity entered Abyssinia a little after 300 A.D. It was, from the viewpoint of the historian, introduced by a Tyrian merchant named Frumentius. Frumentius was ordained by the Patriarch of Alexandria, and became the first Bishop of Askum. That town was at one time the chief centre in Abyssinia, and is situated a few miles from the now famous Adowa. Recent cable news in fact, state that it has been occupied by the Italians; and naturally, as it is a Holy City containing the tombs of former emperors and kings, it represented an important Italian objective. The power of religion in Abyssinia is indeed, as stated by the cable messages, as great if not greater than the Emperor’s power. Aksum is the Abyssinian. Jerusalem or the Abyssinian Mecca. It is the greatest of holy places, and its capture by the Italians in their present disreputable war, might have a serious effect on the Abyssinian people. The chief priest or Abouna—a Syrian word meaning “Our Father”—is at present residing at Addis Ababa and is therefore, still out of the danger zone, in passing, some idea of the antiquity of the Abyssinian faith is shown by the Similarity between Abouna and Abba, the Aramaic word used by Christ—for he spoke Aramaic—when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Abba means Father. Religion Lost in Antiquity Religion in Abyssinia of course, goes back much further than the Christian era, and the Abyssinians themselves maintain that their religion extends back into the Unknown. Their' emperors they say, go back in a unbroken line for some 3000 years to Menelek whose mother was supposed to have been the Queen of Sheba ahd father, King Solomon. The Queen Of Sheba, during a visit to Palestine, so the story says, cohabited with King Solomon, And the Queen had a son who was named Menelek. It is said that Menelek lived at Solomon’s palace until he was about 25, when his mother died and he was crowned King of Ethiopia in Solomon's Temple. He is supposed to have taken with him to his country, many of the first-born of Judah and Israel. That, so the Abyssinians say, is why their religion contains so many Jewish customs and traditions, and perhaps there is some truth in the story. Historians however, think that a more probable explanation is that a colony of Jewish refugees settled in Abyssinia. The Abyssinians closely follow many edicts given in Deuteronomy and Leviticus, so Colonel C. P. HaWkes says in “The Times;” and in another part of an interesting article, he states that adoration of The Host is accompanied by that of the Ark of the Covenant. The people believe that somewhere in their country the Ark of the Covenant is buried, and that therefore, the blessing God gave the Israelites now belongs to the Abyssinians. Peculiar Rites and Customs Among the Abyssinian rites and customs which are still practised to-day is circumcision, which is obligatory ih all tribes. Both the Jewish sabbath —the seventh day—and our Sunday are recognised; and Christmas is a frequent festival, being held once every month with the exception of the month of March. Those professing

Christianity wear a blue thread around their neck as a badge. Churches in the north are built square, while those in the south are round. Among other peculiarities might be mentiohed the fact that the laity are not allowed to read the Gosp'els, and are confined to the reading of David’s Psalter; and on every possible occasion, the Psalter, learnt by heart because about 90 per cent, of the laity is illiterate, is sung joyfully and whole-heartedly. Abysinians on religious grounds—and this shows Jewish influence —abstain from “Unclean” foods like pork. Imitating Jewish Passover bread, the Abyssinian Christians still bake their bread in thin round cakes. But unlike the Jews, ikons play a part in their religious observances, the most prominent being ikons of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints. Pontius Pilate has been made a saint by the Abyssinians; and it is peculiar to think that no other religion has given the Roman judge who presided at the trial of Christ that honour. Instead, in many religions his Weak character and pronounced human frailities have made him an object of scorn. The Christian Ethiopians would seem to give full observance to the requirements of a number of faiths. There is little doubt that many of their customs have come from the ancient Coptic Church, that is, the church of ancient Egypt. It is undoubtedly the starting point of Abyssinia’s religion, .for in religious matters, the country has for centuries been subject to the Patriarch of Alexandria. He consecrates archbishops and sanctions other important religious matters.

Biblical References Throughout the Bible, Ethiopia lias frequent mention, and it is the subject of a number of prophecies. In Hebrew, it is interesting to notice, the word “Ethiopia” is rendered “Cush;” and if we turn to Genesis 10. 6, we find that Cush Was a son of Ham. The Ethiopians are therefore Hamites. Even as early as Genesis 2. 13, Ethiopia is mentiohed, for it is stated: “And the name of the second river is Gihon, the same is it that compasses the land of Ethiopia.” If we turn to other Books, we find how an Ethiopian rescued Jeremiah from the dungeon; how Moses married an Ethiopian; and how precious stones edme from Ethiopia. One of the most interesting Biblical references to Ethiopia, however, is one in the Acts to the Apostles telling how Philip the Apostle baptised “a eUnich of great authority” belonging to Queen Cadace of Ethiopia, "who had charge of all her treasure and who had come to Jerusalem for to worship.” it is not from Frumentius as historians claim, but from the Apostle Philip that the Ethiopians claim their Christianity, because Queen Candace’s Treasurer is supposed to have carried Philip’s teaching into his own country. Portuguese adventurers in the fifteenth centuries, and later Jesuit missionaries, tried to make the Abyssinians subjects of the Pope; but without success. The influence of that missionary work certainly does remain in Ethiopian Christianity however, but perhaps the Orthodox or Greek Church has its influence reflected Sven more. Mention can be made for instance, of the fact that the Abyssinians fast on

CHRISTIANITY MIXED WITH EXOTIC MYSTICISM AND STRANGE LEGENDS

every Wednesday and Friday and that they observe several Lents. In fact, they seem to keep most of the penitential periods prescribed by both the Greek and Roman Churches, and as a result, their religious observances are doubly severe. Ethiopians in Palestine On the roof of St. Helena’s Chapel on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, there is a little colony of Abyssinian monks. Once they had a more prominent place at the Sepulchre, but mere powerful churches gradually pushed them into their present position. Abyssinian monks are poor, and when the Turks were in charge of Palestine, they could not afford to pay the excessive dues demanded for a prominent position at the Sepulchre. Within that small colony, however, there is regularly enacted a most moving drama. It is a dramatisation of the Crucifixion ahd the Resurrection. It is observed during the Eastern Holy Week in Jerusalem. Poverty has reduced the theatre to a marquee, but nevertheless, if W 6 read the illuminating description given by Mr Morton we find that it is none the less impressive!” “And now the black monks took up the story and acted it. With a queer side-long, dancing shuffle they gyrated round the roof in the moonlight, Crying that the tomb was empty, wailing because Jesus was dead, pretending to search for his body in the dark shadows of the roof. Each monk held a lighted candle, and the abbot Walked under a green and gold umbrella . . . “Suddenly the wailing stopped. In silence the black monks re-entered the tent and grouped themselves around the abbot. We slipped quietly away. “They will remain sad until morn ing,” whispered my friend. “Then they will celebrate the Resurrection and will become as happy as they are now miserable.” lhat ceremony calls to mind another similar one that is described by Lori Frederick Hamilton in one of his interesting books. It is similar to a ceremony that was performed iu Russia before the Bolsheviks entered Upon their period of power and Christianity was suppressed. Perhaps, as Russia was under the Greek Church, that ceremony merely shows the influence of the Greeks oh Abyssinia. y So, to conclude this review of Abyssinia's religion and traditions, it might be well to point again to the fact that a review does perhaps more than anything else, to show the fact that Abyssinia still holds much that awaits the student of customs. But evan what is known makes the ravages of modern weapons of war in a country so old and traditional a thing of ghastly horror; and it makes the fanatical despot appear despicable who has loosed those terrors against a Christian people ana against the fundamental teachings of Christianity.

The story of the pilgrimage-cruise to Gallipoli, organised by the Royal Naval Division Officers’ Association, has been told by Stanton Hope ,in “Gallipoli Revisited.” The cruise ship anchored in Kelia Bay, on the opposite coast to Anzac and Suvla Bay, and the visitors, wtyo included a large proportion of ex-soldiers, on successive days went to Anzac, “V” Beach and Achi Baba. The author records that the famous River Clyde now sails under the Spanish flag, carrying coal between Gijon and the Mediterranean ports. He also tells of a conversation with Mehmet Bey, who was O.C. “Asiatic Annie,” which bombarded the British troops from the Asiatic shore. Mehmet All said that the gun was roughly of llin. calibre, that it was frequently moved, but had never run on rails, as many of the troops surmised, and that a British monitor once scored a direct hit, putting the gun out of action for seven days “Gallipoli Revisited,” which has a foreword by General Sir lan Hamilton, is illustrated by a.bout 70 photographs and three maps. It is obtainable from the association at 195, Piccadilly, London.

Although it is admitted by historical scholars that- the Norseman must have visited North America many hundreds of years before Columbus discovered it, there is an unsettled controversy concerning the places which they reached. In “The Markland Sagas” by C. H. L. Jones and Thomas H. Raddall, after studying the mass of literature of that controversy, the “Markland of the Norseman was Nova Scotia. "Helluland” was the coast of Labrador, and that “Vinland” was probably in the vicinity of Cape Cod. “Vinland marked the high tide of Norse adventure in the West. A gradual but continuous ebb followed, until at last Iceland alone remained inhabited by the former sea-kings, Greenland was a mere name, and Helluland, Markland and Vinland had become simple myths.” The authors give an interesting technical description of the Norsemen's sea-going vessels, outlines of the origins and exploits of the leading adventurers, Eric the Red, Biarni Heriulfson (“the real discoverer of America”), Leif Erlcson and others, and translations of the sagas.