- Title: ETHIOPIA: Ethiopians celebrate Christmas in January
- Date: 10th January 2012
- Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JANUARY 07, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FAMILY HAVING LUNCH ON CHRISTMAS DAY/ PLATE WITH LOCAL ETHIOPIAN DELICACY "INJERA" VARIOUS OF GIRL MAKING COFFEE ADAM FASIYA, ADDIS ABABA RESIDENT WITH HIS WIFE TAKING IN AROMA OF ROASTED COFFEE BEANS DRINKS ON TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ADAM FASIYA, ADDIS ABABA RESIDENT SAYING: "We celebrate it in a very cultural way, especially concerning clothing, we give gifts just like the western countries but ours is more of traditional." EXTERIOR SHOT OF AMIST-KILLO MEKAN YESUS EVANGELICAL CHURCH VARIOUS OF THE CONGREGATION PASTOR MARKOS ADARO BLESSING THE CONGREGATION WOMEN IN CHURCH (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) PASTOR MARKOS ADARO SAYING: "The date on which we Ethiopians celebrate Christmas is different from the Western Christmas as we have our own unique calendar for counting days. That is why our culture is also unique from others."
- Embargoed: 25th January 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ethiopia, Ethiopia
- Country: Ethiopia
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Religion,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA6LP00H90GSOU9MX44DW2UZT49
- Story Text: Orthodox christians in Ethiopia celebrate Christmas day on January 7th according to their own ancient calendar.
Twinkling christmas trees and big family feasts -- the memories of Christmas day are fading from the minds of most people around the world -- but not in Ethiopia, where families celebrated the holiday according to the old Orthodox calendar on January 7th.
And no celebration in Ethiopia is complete without a coffee ceremony -- a traditional process of brewing and drinking coffee.
Ethiopia's christmas comes 13 days after December 25 -- the date recognised around the world, and although the traditions remain fairly the same, Ethiopians try to inject their culture into the celebrations as much as possible, says Addis Ababa resident, Adam Fasiya.
"We celebrate it in a very cultural way, especially concerning clothing, we give gifts just like the western countries but ours is more of traditional," he said.
The day is also marked by prayers and faithful spend the better part of the night before Christmas as well as the morning in church.
The Ethiopian calendar is close to the Egyptian Coptic calendar having a year of 13 months, 365 days and 366 days in a leap year. The calendar which is behind the Gregorian or Western calendar is influenced by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which follows its ancient calendar rules and beliefs. While the date of Christmas in the Ethiopian calendar falls on December 29, this date is January 7 in the Gregorian calendar.
"The date on which we Ethiopians celebrate Christmas is different from the Western Christmas as we have our own unique calendar for counting days. That is why our culture is also unique from others," said Pastor Markos Adaro at a local church.
Just before christmas believers observe 40 days of fasting that end on the eve of christmas day with a feast called Gena, which is another name for christmas in Ethiopian orthodox tradition.
But the price of animals slaughtered to mark the end of the fast has risen, said some buyers in the chicken and sheep markets of the capital.
Consumer prices in the Horn of Africa country rose 1.7 percent month-on-month in December after falling 0.3 percent during November, according to the Central Statistics Agency.
Buyers said the high costs had watered down this year's celebrations, compared to previous years.
"You call this development but comparing to the old times I call it destruction. How can there be development while the price of a chicken is 300, 250 and the least 150 (birr). There can't be development while the people are perishing," said Shawel Wedere.
Ethiopian consumer prices surged last year with the rate of inflation peaking at 40.6 percent in August. It has declined steadily since then but remains highly elevated.
"Come on, it can not continue like this, our culture can disappear if things continue like this. I have heard that the abattoir has started selling half a sheep with a reasonable price but our culture dictates that we must spill blood in our homes," said Kororima, another buyer.
Inflation has become a major problem across the east and Horn of Africa, as poor rains have damaged harvests while global oil prices have surged. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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