Ethiopian Easter

Easter is the most important annual religious feast for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers; commemorating Jesus’ resurrected from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion and celebrates after 55 fasting days in which no animal product is eaten. On Easter eve people go to church with candles to celebrate, which are lit during a colorful Easter mass service, which begins at about early midnight Ethiopian time.

After the completion of the mass, people go home to break their feast with the meat of chicken, slaughtered the previous night, accompanied with injera and traditional drinks called tella local Ethiopian Beer or tej, honey win. Like Christmas, Easter is also a day of family reunion, an expression of good wishes with exchange of gifts like lamb, goat or loaf of bread.