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Ethiopians celebrate Meskel holiday with pomp, despite recent fighting in Tigray
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- Sep 27, 2026, 11:29 AM UTC
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Orthodox Tewahedo holiday
Meskel is an Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church holiday that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress Saint Helena of Constantinople in the fourth century. Meskel is celebrated by Oriental Orthodox members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and to a lesser extent Roman Catholic members of the Ethiopian Catholic Church, the Eritrean Catholic Church, and among Protestant members of P'ent'ay – Ethiopian-Eritrean Evangelicalism.
More on Wikipedia ↗Regional state in Ethiopia
The Tigray Region is the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia. The Tigray Region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob and Kunama people. Its capital and largest city is Mekelle. Tigray is the fifth-largest by area, the fourth-most populous, and the fifth-most densely populated of the 14 regional states. Tigray is bordered by Eritrea to the north, the Amhara Region to the south, Sudan to the west, and Afar Region to the east.
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WELKITE, Ethiopia — Millions of Christians in Ethiopia gathered to celebrate Meskel, a religious holiday that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman empress Helena in the
Millions of Christians in Ethiopia have gathered to celebrate Meskel, a religious holiday that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman empress Helena in the fourth century.