The Use of Kebero in

👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾 The Use of #Kebero in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Worship ✍️ The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a revered ancient, apostolic, catholic, national, and global church, stands as one of the world's oldest and foremost faith traditions. Our teachings affirm that drums (specifically the kebero) were not introduced into Christian worship in the 16th century. Instead, their use in spiritual service is deeply rooted in the Old Testament era, predating Christianity, and has continued seamlessly into the New Testament period and remains an integral part of our worship to this day. ✍️ Our Church's rich history, sacred scriptures, historical accounts, and ancient artifacts all bear witness to its observance of the Old Testament system even before the advent of Christianity. This historical continuity is one of the reasons Ethiopia is reverently referred to as a "land of antiquity." Enduring Legacy and Official Recognition ✍️ The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has actively worked to legally register its ancient heritage, which has been in continuous use for over a millennium. This includes holy books, sacred artifacts, melodies, and musical instruments used for hymns, along with other properties essential for its spiritual services. We are pleased to share that the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Authority (EIPA) has recognized and affirmed the Church's rightful ownership of these intellectual properties. ✍️ Specifically, the EIPA has officially registered the kebero (drum), tsenatsel (sistrum), mekuamiya (prayer staff), and over ten sacred books as the intellectual property of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, effective April 11, 2024 (Miazia 3, 2017 Ethiopian Calendar). This governmental recognition further solidifies the long-standing and inherent place of these instruments in our tradition. The Kebero's Deep Scriptural and Liturgical Roots ✍️ The kebero has served as an instrument for spiritual worship since the time of the Old Testament and continues its use in the New Testament. This is strongly supported by the Holy Scriptures, particularly in the Psalms: 👉 Old Testament Witness: The kebero is a sacred instrument of praise to God in both the Old and New Testaments. A powerful example is found when the Israelites were delivered from Egyptian bondage. After God parted the Red Sea, the prophetess Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, took a drum in her hand to lead the people in praise and song to the Lord. As recorded in Exodus 15:20 (NKJV): "Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances." 👉 King David's Directives: David, the beloved King and Psalmist, repeatedly instructs believers to praise God with the kebero (timbrel): -> Psalm 149:3 (NKJV): "Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp." -> Psalm 150:4 (NKJV): "Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!" 👉 Liturgical Practice: Within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the kebero is a fundamental instrument used during Mahlet (the nocturnal praise service) and Zemare (hymns). Along with the tsenatsel and mekuamiya, these are the primary sacred instruments recorded in the Bible and sanctioned by God for hymns and praise. During the Mahlet service, these instruments accompany singing, dancing (shibsheba), ululation (ellelta), and clapping. It's important to note that while other instruments like the masenko, begena, trumpet, krar, washint, enzira, and enbilta are used by congregants for general praise, they are not typically employed during the formal Mahlet service. Furthermore, in our sacred Qidase (Anaphora) service, before the reading of the Gospel, the tradition states, "Take up a psalm, and give the drum." (Continues) 👇🏾