Meskel worshippers call for peace as fighting returns to northern Ethiopia

Thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gathered at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa on Saturday for prayers, singing and religious processions, using the annual celebration to appeal for peace as renewed fighting unsettled northern Ethiopia.

The ceremony culminated in the lighting of the Demera, a towering bonfire at the centre of Meskel observances. The gathering took place amid renewed clashes involving Ethiopian federal troops and fighters loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, raising fears of another major conflict in the north.

Calls for peace

Worshippers and clergy used the religious occasion to urge an end to division and violence. Fikreab Lebeza, an Ethiopian Orthodox deacon, said peace was necessary for both religious observance and dialogue.

“Peace is essential for everything. Without it, we can neither celebrate our holidays nor engage in meaningful dialogue,” Lebeza said.

Sara Dinkayehu, a business woman attending the gathering, said she had come to pray for peace across Ethiopia.

“Peace is vital for our country. As people deeply rooted in faith and values, we Ethiopians should offer earnest prayers for peace during sacred celebrations such as Meskel,” she said.

Orthodox priest Aba Thomas Abeje also called for national unity, drawing a comparison between the country and the wood used to build the Demera.

“Let us cast aside division and war and stand firmly united as one,” he said.

Fresh disruption in Tigray

The latest fighting has badly undermined the peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022. That agreement ended a two-year war in which hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have died as a result of fighting, famine and the collapse of health services.

Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Tigray after Tigrayan fighters took control of the airport in Mekelle, according to the reported developments. Residents also reported internet disruptions and the closure of roads connecting Tigray with the neighbouring Afar region.

The available information does not specify how long the flight suspension or road closures would last, and no casualty figures from the renewed fighting were provided.

A festival rooted in tradition

Meskel means “cross” in Amharic and is one of the most important celebrations for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The festival commemorates the discovery of the cross on which Christians believe Jesus was crucified.

According to church tradition, Roman Empress Helena found the cross in the fourth century after lighting a bonfire and following the direction of its smoke. The Demera remains a central feature of the celebration.

Jino Kim, a tourist from South Korea, described the large gathering and processions as unfamiliar from his experience at home.

“I can’t believe it, because in South Korea we don’t have those kind of big events; every Ethiopian people came out, and they’re on the same spot, and they celebrate all together like just all. Just awesome!” he said.