This first photo shows the entrance gate to the church grounds, specifically designed to represent the Abyssinian lion. The two small windows near the top are the eyes, the large door in the middle is the mouth, and the two arches at the bottom form it's legs.
I just happened to have my Abyssinian lion on my knee so you can see the origins of the design features of the gate. (That's Carrie's fingernail, not mine.). Also notice the Star of David on his head as a crown.
Now inside the gate, we see the church. It's built in the form of an upside down Noah's Ark. The cross feature on the roof has 7 real ostrich eggs, one on each prong. Ostriches are endemic in southern Ethiopia. The eggs are to symbolize the seven days of the week and the power of the creative spirit. The compound is surrounded by a 15' high wall with 12 guard towers representing the 12 apostles. The gateway is the '13th tower' and represents Christ.
In the Sanctuary, a select group of worshippers is allowed to pray.
Every square inch of the walls and ceiling are covered with paintings. This one is above the entrance to the Santuary representing the Trinitarian nature of Jesus. The paintings are said to have all been done by one man, Haile Meskel, and took 4 years to complete. The paintings on the southern wall depict scenes from the Life of Christ. The northern wall depicts various saints. And the ceiling is the most famous ceiling in Ethiopia. It is said to represent the saved souls of those on Noah's Ark. This painting of 80 cherubic faces is perhaps the most famous single example of ecclesiastical art in Ethiopia.
St. George, the patron saint of Ethiopia, is depicted often in nearly every church in the country.
In spite of a large mumber of people in and around the church, this was a very peaceful and serene place to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment