If we were
in Ethiopia or in the garden of any Ethiopian Orthodox church of the world on
September 27th, we would find ourselves witnessing a unique spectacle in the
panorama of Christian churches.
We would be
standing before a pyramid of firewood several meters high that rises straight
into the sky, something unusual that perhaps we would never have seen before.
Surrounded
by clergy dressed in celebration garments, this mountain of wood remains the centre
of attention adorned with Ethiopian flag coloured banners.
If we were
to wait a little while, we would see the priest, after numerous blessings and
ritual songs, light the first spark to set fire to the whole pyre (Demera).
Flames and
smoke will then rise upwards for hours as in a dance moved by the wind.
Similarly
the choir will remain to dance for hours to the rhythm of the drum and of the
sacred instruments invoking ancient songs.
It is
Meskel Day and, according to the Ethiopian liturgical calendar, occurs every
September 27th.
It is a
national holiday in Ethiopia and celebrated in the same way wherever there is
an Ethiopian Orthodox community.
The word
Meskel, in Amharic, means "cross" and this special occasion
commemorates the finding of the true cross of Iyasos Krestos.
The tradition
recalls that around 330 AD Queen Sant ’Elena, known in Ethiopia as Nighist
Eleni, mother of the first Roman Christian emperor Constantine, found the cross
on which Iyasos Krestos was crucified.
The queen
was deeply devout and lived a life of prayer, some historical sources tell us
that she was even a Nazirite practicing her spiritual life in a very profound
way according to the ancient vow described in the book of Numbers chapter 6.
One night
she received a divine revelation in which she was told to erect a giant pyre of
wood and incense and make it burn.
She would
have to wait until the flames had subsided and the bonfire almost completely
reduced to ashes, when the smoke would have indicated to her the place where
the cross lay.
Similarly,
to what is described in chapter 40 of Exodus in the verse 34-38 where the cloud
of smoke rising above the Tabernacle indicated the way to follow.
It was the
Jerusalem of the fourth century AD and the sacred wood was found and divided
into parts which were then distributed to the most important churches around
the world.
One of
these fragments reached Ethiopia where it is still kept in the church of Gishen
Maryam in the Wollo region.
Every year
on September 27th, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Tawahedo is the only Christian
family to celebrate this anniversary. Thousands and thousands of faithful flock
to the courtyards of the main churches and, in Addis Ababa, the ceremony takes
place in the famous and central square of Meskel Square from which it takes its
name.
The
celebration then ends when the flames are extinguished and the whole bonfire
becomes blessed ash with which the faithful draw a cross directly on their
forehead.
In 2013, Meskel was added to the Representative List of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UN Agency for Education, Science and
Culture.
The
spiritual meaning of this festivity is obviously the devotion to the saving
power of the Cross, from there Iyasos Krestos died and then, once in the sepulchre,
rose again assuring eternal life.
The Cross
is a warning to forgiveness and compassion, to the renewal of the spirit and
the body in the way of life that the Gospel expresses.
The cross
is the victory over death, or evil, annihilation, despair and division.
The Cross
is the element that unites Heaven and earth in the perfect harmony which is the
flow of life that does not stop and is not interrupted.
If we enter
an Ethiopian Orthodox church we will see many crosses, some hanging from the
necks or in the hands of priests and deacons, some very small used as a pendant
by the faithful ones, and even much bigger ones carried in procession during
ceremonies.
We will
rarely see the crucifix, the cross with the body of Christ dying, this is
because the emphasis of Orthodox Christianity is precisely life.
Unlike
other Christian churches, therefore, Ethiopians celebrate the cross left empty
by the risen Christ.
Even in the
Rastafari Tradition, of course, the Meskel or Ethiopian cross is present.
Many
brothers and sisters in fact wear it around their neck or it is still present
on the walls of houses or stands next to their Bible.
If we look
closely at a Meskel we will see that it is made up of many intertwined lines
according to angular or fluid geometric patterns. Those are in many cases like
endless knots.
This
symbolizes the life that flows and becomes eternal thanks to the miracle of the
Cross, which the Meskel represents.
In
Ethiopia, this festival also marks the end of the rainy season and the
beginning of a new cycle of sun and heat that takes the place of the pungent
humidity and the clouds that rest at length on the highlands during the months
from June to September.
The same
capital Addis Ababa, located at 2200 meters on the sea level, often during the
summer season remains covered for days by dense clouds that then explode in
frequent rainfall.
By the end of
September, the land is rich in water and the green meadows are covered with a
oltitude of yellow flowers called the "Meskel daisies" which in this
period colour the whole country.
Families go
out to collect them to compose bouquets that they will then take with them on
the Feast of the Cross.
The same
fire pyre is often decorated with these lovely bright yellow flowers.
Ian’I
Rastafari, observing the depth of the events, also meditates on the fact that
on September 27th not only is the Meskel festivity but also commemorates another
very important event.
On this
day, in fact, back in 1916, the twenty-four year-old governor Tafari Makonnen
took the title of Ras, or king, leader of the people of Ethiopia.
This
investiture was followed by the appointment as Official Heir to the Throne and
Crown Prince accompanied by the very important position of Regent
Plenipotentiary.
This last
title made Tafari Makonnen the de-facto
ruler of the millennial Empire of Ethiopia.
Empress
Zauditù continued to officially govern the country but in reality and in
practice, the young but already highly skilled Tafari was now the one who
administered the imperial power.
The thing
that is worthy of note is that this prophetic event signified that from that
moment He became "Ras" Tafari Makonnen and therefore for the first
time in history the two words Ras and Tafari were juxtaposed creating the name
of our Movement which is precisely RASTAFARI.
Although
the Rastafari revelation would manifest as a spiritual movement only fifteen
years later in colonial Jamaica, the name came to life on 27 September 1916.
It is no
coincidence that that day fell on the very festivity of Meskel, the Holy Cross through
which Iyasos Krestos conquered death and established eternal life.
Death on
the cross and then resurrection in fact inaugurated the waiting period for His
return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
According
to Rastafari tradition, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie The First is the
Christ returned in His kingly characters to bring to fulfilment the promise
that had been announced just before crucifixion on the Golgotha.
He himself
said that in order for the Kingdom of God to be established on earth the Son of
Man would have had to leave this world meaning die on the cross (and then resurrect).
Therefore,
on the day of the Meskel 1916 the name Ras Tafari was manifested in the world.
That was
the first manifestation, even if only at nominal level, of the Movement that
would have declared that Christ had returned to earth to reign for the
eternity.
Looking at
further events, we know that on November 2, 1930, in the Cathedral of Saint George
in Addis Ababa, Ras Tafari was crowned by the Church with the titles of King of
Kings, Lord of the Lord, Lion Conqueror of the tribe of Judah, Elected of God ,
Light of this World.
He took on the
new name (which was already His baptismal name) Qadamawi Haile Selassie.
From that
day on he was never called Ras Tafari again.
An
interesting and prophetic thing happened.
The name
Ras Tafari did not disappear but became the term used to name the first
preachers who announced that Haile Selassie was God on earth, the returned
Christ.
They would call themselves in fact “the Rastafari”
In doing so
the prophecies were fulfilled: the Messiah assumed His new and heavenly name
but at the same time His children took His earthly name giving life to the
Rastafari Movement.
On the day
when the Messiah became the elect of God, he chose the rest of his people who
would respond to the final call.
The day He
wore the Eternal Crown by taking the title of Emperor at the same time he
crowned Ian'I Rastafari to be Rasses, or humble "rulers" on this
Creation devoted to use the Livity or way of life, in order to help him in
governing the world according to the teaching of Gospel.
The
promises of Isaiah and the Prophets were thus fulfilled.
A new era
of light and warmth began.
Perhaps
just like in Ethiopia, the Meskel festival marks the beginning of the new hot
and bright season.
Selah
