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Thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gathered across the country this weekend to observe Meskel, one of the most important festivals in the church's liturgical calendar, even as fresh violence in the northern Tigray region cast a shadow over the celebrations.
The annual commemoration honors the discovery of the "True Cross," the wooden structure on which Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified. According to church tradition, the cross was unearthed in the fourth century by Saint Helena, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, after she followed a trail of smoke from a burning fire to the burial site.
The festival, whose name means "cross" in the ancient Ge'ez language, is marked by the lighting of a massive bonfire known as a demera. Worshippers dress in traditional white garments, sing hymns, and circle the flames while clergy members in elaborate vestments lead prayers and processions.
This year, however, the mood was tempered by renewed fighting in Tigray, the northern region that was the epicenter of a devastating two-year civil war. Millions of people were displaced and hundreds of thousands are believed to have died during that conflict, which formally ended with a peace agreement signed in 2022.
Worshippers attending Meskel services used the occasion to issue public appeals for calm, urging political and military leaders to return to the negotiating table and spare civilians from another cycle of bloodshed. The calls for peace echoed across congregations in the capital, Addis Ababa, and in other cities and towns.
The timing of the renewed clashes is particularly sensitive for a country still recovering from the economic and humanitarian toll of the previous war. Reconstruction efforts in Tigray remain incomplete, and many families have yet to be reunited with relatives who fled to neighboring Sudan or were internally displaced.
Religious leaders in Ethiopia have historically played a significant role in mediating conflicts and shaping public opinion. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, to which a large share of the population belongs, commands considerable moral authority, and its festivals often serve as venues for political as well as spiritual expression.
Analysts note that Meskel has long functioned as a moment of national unity, bringing together people from diverse ethnic and regional backgrounds in a shared act of devotion. That unifying character makes the peace appeals issued this year especially poignant, as they highlight the gap between the country's aspirations for stability and the reality of persistent violence.
Observers of Ethiopian affairs point out that the resumption of hostilities threatens to reverse hard-won gains made since the ceasefire. Humanitarian agencies have warned that renewed fighting could disrupt aid deliveries to communities still dependent on food assistance and medical supplies.
The international community has repeatedly urged all parties to respect the terms of the peace deal and to resolve their differences through dialogue. Western governments and regional bodies, including the African Union, have stressed that military escalation would deepen the suffering of ordinary Ethiopians who have already endured years of hardship.
Ordinary worshippers interviewed at Meskel gatherings described a mixture of hope and anxiety. Many said they had come to pray not only for their own families but for the entire nation, expressing a longing for a future in which their children could grow up without fear of war.
The celebration of Meskel also carries economic significance, as it draws large crowds to markets and public squares, providing a boost to small traders and vendors. In a country grappling with high inflation and foreign currency shortages, such festivities offer a brief respite and a source of communal solidarity.
Church officials leading the ceremonies emphasized themes of reconciliation and forgiveness, encouraging the faithful to extend goodwill even to those with whom they disagree politically. These messages resonated with congregants who have seen their communities divided by conflict and displacement over the past several years.
Yet the persistence of armed confrontation in the north underscores the fragility of the current peace. Many Ethiopians worry that without sustained international engagement and genuine political will from domestic actors, the country could slide back into the kind of large-scale violence that shocked the world less than five years ago.
As the demera fires burned and hymns rose into the night sky, the faithful carried with them a simple and urgent wish: that the light of the cross might guide their nation toward lasting peace. Whether that prayer will be answered remains, for now, uncertain.
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