While excitement over Christmas festivities dies down in the other parts of the world, it marks the beginning for many Ethiopians.

The name 'Genna' is used to refer to the nativity because the shepherds to whom the Angel heralded the birth of Christ were playing Genna, traditional Hockey, at the time.

On the eve of 18th January, priests move the tabot, replicas of the Ark of the Covenant, from each church to a nearby body of water where the water in the pool is blessed.

Several beautiful traditional and religious events, which are celebrated by its diversified ethnic groups living with their picturesque native lives in their most natural background.

The Maskal festivals commemorates the discovery of the true cross.
Every year, in the last week of September, the streets of Addis Ababa come alive as tens thousands of residents don their national dress and light dry twigs tied in bundles to commemorate the discovery of the Cross Of Christ.


The Virgin is one of the most venerated of all religious figures in Ethiopia.
About 33 days are annually dedicated to different celebrations in the commemoration of Mary. "Hidar Zion" is associated with the presence of the Ark of the Covenant in Axum and the belief that the Ark itself is a symbolism to Her womb.

This festival is attended by tens of thousands of people from all over Ethiopia, making it one of the most joyous annual pilgrimages in Axum, the "sacred city of the Ethiopians.".