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This being our Ethiopia season, let us take a few minutes to learn about the country. Many people believe that Ethiopia is a Christian country - but not exactly. The three religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have deep roots there. Starting with Judaism since it is the oldest of the three, the faith is old in Ethiopia. There is a legend about King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba having had a son called Menelik who became a ruler of Ethiopia. This is Menelik I, not to be confused with the more famous Menelik II who fought and defeated the Italians. Legend has it that this lineage came to rule over Ethiopia many years on and are referred to as the Solomonic Dynasty that took over from another dynasty. It is for this reason emperor Haile Selassie had the "Lion of Judah" Imperial Standard.
For whoever is already asking what an Imperial Standard is, you may compare it to a presidential standard or royal standard in your country which is a flag. In Kenya President Ruto has a yellow presidential standard, Uhuru Kenyatta had a blue one like his late father, Mwai Kibaki's was white, and Moi's was green. Someone was asked in an interview how many flags the presidents car has - two - national flag and presidential standard. For those not form Kenya you can refer to your country. Those are examples.
The Biblical Ark of the covenant is believed to be in Aksum or Axum, Northern Ethiopia. This is by faith because it is in a restricted area protected by the people - even from the state for centuries. Again in Ethiopia there were black Jews who in the 1980s the media called Falashas. But their correct name Beta Israel. In those famine years which the older generation will remember, they were airlifted to the State of Israel - as they were considered citizens because of their religion. In 2001, during the Ethiopia pilgrimage, a prophecy of Baba Johane was fulfilled - where he had told Prophet Samuel Chinyanga that by the time they would get to that country, he would be old and somewhere in that mountainous region (Axum) he would have to be carried on a wheelbarrow. It was recorded in a video by Pastor Noel Muungani, hopefully still archived.
Coming from Judaism into Christianity, in the 4th Century, should be around the 320s AD, the King Ezana of Ethiopia became a Christian. Thus the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, together with that of Eritrea which was carved out from it - when Eritrea became a separate country, are among the f the oldest Churches in the continent. They have roots in the Coptic Church (of Egypt) that traces itself to Mark - the Apostle of Jesus Christ. They therefore have a Bible that has 88 books based on their own canon - food for thought for those who think that such developments came only from King James and such like people.
As for Islam, the religion has equally deep Ethiopian roots. A third of Ethiopians are Muslims being about 40 million people (out of a population of 120 Million). That is a huge number. Prophet Mohamed is reported to have sent emissaries to Ethiopia to take refuge during some war. The first person he assigned to be calling people to prayer was a son of an Ethiopian mother. His name was Bilal. Today it happens in mosques worldwide. Among us it could compare, though differently to how pastors go round at prayer time calling: Gadzirira (Prepare) …..
Otherwise, for all the extra facilitation and consideration, thanks be to the Government of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia.
P/S: Photographed is the Church Bus in Turbi, Marsabit County, approaching Moyale - Kenya/Ethiopia Border.