Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RELIGION IN ETHIOPIA
Faith is an extremely important part of an Ethiopian's life. Orthodox Christians bring reli-
gion into everyday conversation just as much as their Muslim counterparts. Although
Orthodox believers only slightly outnumber Muslims (43.5% to 33.9%), Christianity has
traditionally dominated the country's past. The vast majority of highlanders are Orthodox
and the religion continues to heavily influence the highlands' political, social and cultural
scene. Most Muslims inhabit the eastern, southern and western lowlands, but there are also
significant populations in the country's predominantly Christian towns, including Addis
Ababa.
Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity
As the official religion of the imperial court right up until Emperor Haile Selassie was de-
posed in 1974, the Orthodox church continues to carry great clout among the Ethiopian
people and is regarded as the great guardian and repository of ancient Ethiopian traditions,
directly inherited from Aksum (
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.
Ethiopia was the second country (after Ar-
menia) to adopt Christianity as its state religion
and it's been a truly unifying factor over the
centuries. By the same measure, it's also legit-
imised the oppression of the people by its rulers.
Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity is thought to
have its roots in Judaism - some even say that
this is the home of the Lost Tribes of Israel.
This Jewish connection explains the food restrictions, including the way animals are
slaughtered. Even the traditional round church layout is considered Hebrew in origin. An-
cient Semitic and pagan elements also persist.
Circumcision is generally practised on boys, marriage is celebrated in the presence of a
priest, and confession is usually only made during a grave illness.
The world's oldest Christian manuscript is thought
to be the Garima Gospels, which recent radiocarbon
dating suggests dates back to sometime between
330AD and 650AD. It is kept in the Abba Garima
monastery near Adwa.
