Why Then Do We as

Continued 👇🏾 Why then do we, as Ethiopians, celebrate the Cross with such great honor, particularly on Meskerem 17? When the Cross of Christ shone with heavenly light and even raised the dead, the unbelieving Jews sought to conceal it, burying it under heaps of refuse until the place became a mound, guarded and forgotten through generations. Yet the providence of God raised up Queen Eleni, the mother of Constantine. She vowed that if her son embraced Christ, she would seek the buried Cross. Indeed, Constantine was baptized and reigned by the power of the Lord Queen Eleni began the search. Guided by divine sign, she set fire to wood, and the rising smoke marked the place of the Cross. Thus excavation began on Meskerem 17, and after months of labor, on Megabit 10, the precious Cross was found. St. Yared sang: “A miracle and a wonder happened when the holy Cross was found by the noble Queen Eleni.” 4. The Feast of Demera On Meskerem 16, the vigil of the finding, the faithful gather wood both dry and green, pile it high, and set it aflame in joyful commemoration. With torches in their hands they proclaim: “Eyoha Abebaye Meskerem Tebaye !” Why is the feast kept on Meskerem 17 and not Megabit 10, when the Cross was found? Because Megabit falls within the Great Fast, when feasts of rejoicing cannot be celebrated. Thus the Church, in her wisdom, appointed Meskerem 17 as the solemn commemoration. The torch of Demera itself carries deep meaning: it recalls the fire that revealed the burial place of the Cross, the lamps that guided those who dug in darkness, and above all, it proclaims that the Cross of Christ is the true light of freedom and salvation to the world. 5. The Cross in Ethiopia How did the Cross come to our land? in 1334,the 29th year of his second reign, the Patriarch of Alexandria, Abune Michael 47th, endured affliction. For the Pharaoh of Egypt, blinded by arrogance, oppressed the Christians of his land, demanding: “If you do not follow my religion, you will not be able to live in Egypt.” Heavy taxes and bitter threats were laid upon the faithful. The people, wearied by torment, sent their cries across the Nile and desert, to Emperor Dawit of Ethiopia: “We have begged in the name of God to relieve us of the suffering we have suffered, and our Patriarch.” Hearing this, Emperor Dawit rose with holy zeal, saying, “The army is strong, and the people are strong.” He did not count the cost to himself, but took thought for the suffering flock of Christ. He advanced his forces even unto Khartoum. There, perceiving the strength of Egypt, the Emperor and his council chose a weapon more powerful than sword or spear: they sought to strike fear by closing the Nile itself, the very lifeblood of the land. When Merwan Elgaden, the ruler of Egypt, heard this, he trembled. Gathering his nobles, he asked, “What is better for us?” Their counsel was wise in its fear: “If the Nile is taken from us, our people shall perish of thirst. Better to yield than to die.” And so they sent forth Abune Michael, freed from prison, carrying with him two thousand pieces of gold to appease the Ethiopian Emperor. But Emperor Dawit, filled with faith, spurned their bribe. “I do not want silver and gold,” he declared, “I want the Cross on which my Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.” Thus, pressed between death and life, Egypt consented. On Meskerem10, 1395, they delivered to Ethiopia not only the Cross, but also a holy icon of the Virgin Mother, painted by the very hand of Saint Luke. From this day forth, the Feast of the Emperor’s Cross has been celebrated each year on Meskerem 10, a memorial to God’s mercy and to the steadfastness of our fathers. One week later, on Meskerem 17, while remembering the great Queen Eleni, Emperor Dawit beheld a vision: “My Cross will remain on the Cross.” Astonished, he fell to the ground, and there yielded his soul to the Lord. Continues 👇🏾