AT SHORT RADIUS FROM ADDIS

DEBRE LIBANOS

At 103 kilometers from Addis which is about 2 and half hours drive with a coaster bus, we arrive at a church named Debrelibanos.The church was established in the 13th century by saint Abba Tekle Haimanot who was a famous teacher and who succeeded in convincing the Zague leaders to hand over their authority to the” legitimate rulers” who are from the Solomon line of kingship.

The new church now standing is built by the last king from the line of Solomon's dynasty- Hailesselassie . It has a mosaic on the front depicting the crowning of one of the kings of Ethiopia and also that of St. Gabriel. As you enter the almost circular building, you find a big prayer hall separated by a long red curtain one side of which is for females and the other for males. On the two sides of the wall, you see a number of stained windows the pictures up on which depict paintings of the old and new biblical giants. On the one side, you find Adam and Eve, Abraham, and other prophets. On the other side, you see the 12 apostles. A stair case would take you to the underground room which is the prayer places of the priests and singers. If you are lucky to find them praying it would be quite an attraction to see the chanting of the singers and the drums and other instruments operating in harmony.

. The church compound is so attractive in that you find some endemic trees locally called Woira. And when viewed from distance the placing of the church itself is so scenic because the background of the church is made of a fall that comes from the top of the cliff. Passing by the side of the church, you cross a river and proceed on foot up a hill for about 15 minutes. There , saint Tekle Haimanot was praying for about 29 years (some books say 7 years). The legend says as he was praying on his single foot continually that the other footfalls away by itself. There you see different kinds of sick people waiting for their turn to get in to the compound where the priest pours a holy water upon the sick. In the compound you see a house attached to the mountain rock where you find the cave the saint was praying for 29 years. The holy water that pours from the mountain is believed to be a sign of the saint's prayer.

On your way, back after a kilometer's drive there is a kitchen compound. In the kitchen, you find only male priests that serve by cooking and baking a bread like Injera composed of all kinds of cereals including teff. The Injera is believed to have a healing power. So ordinary people take the Injera from the priests, dry it, mix it with the holy water, and drink it. Believed to heal stomachache.