Ethiopian Orthodox Faithful Mark Meskel Eve at Jerusalem's Deir al-Sultan (2026-09-28)

Ethiopian Orthodox Christian worshippers came together at Deir al-Sultan in Jerusalem on Saturday to observe the eve of Meskel, one of the most significant festivals in the Ethiopian church calendar.

The gathering took place at the Ethiopian monks' village, which sits on the rooftop of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Clad in traditional white attire, the faithful sang hymns, offered prayers and played musical instruments, holding candles as the observance unfolded.

The evening culminated in the lighting of a large bonfire, around which the worshippers assembled.

Meskel, which means "cross" in Amharic, commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by St. Helena in the fourth century, a event rooted in church tradition. The bonfire carries its own symbolic weight: tradition holds that Helena was led to the burial place of the cross by smoke rising from a fire she had lit.

The celebration at Deir al-Sultan reflects the longstanding presence of the Ethiopian Orthodox community at one of Christianity's holiest sites.