Great Lent - Abiy Tsom - ዐብይ ጾም Second Sunday - Qidist (Holy) – ቅድስት

The Great Lent Fast (Abiy Tsom) has eight weeks. St. Yared, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church hymn writer, wrote the hymnbook known as “Tsome Digua” (Hymn of Fasting). In this Holy book St. Yared composed songs for each Sunday which is named after the song for that Sunday.

The second Sunday is called 'Kidist', which is a Ge’ez word meaning Holy or Sanctified. In the Tsome Digua, St. Yared mentions that in addition to controlling what goes into our mouths, we must also control what comes out of our mouths. St. Yared said, “The other members of the body also need to fast: our eyes from seeing evil, our ears from hearing evil, our hand from doing evil, our feet from running to evil and our minds from thinking evil.”

During this time, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church teaches her believers about the Holiness of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos as well as encouraging purity and separation from sin, the devil and the world.

1 Peter 1:15-17

“But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judge according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:”

The time of the fast of Our Lord actually begins in the 2nd week of Great Lent. Which is also called the Forty Day Fast (Tsome Arba).

Matthew 14:13-21

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.”

The word Holy or Sanctified or Kidist also tells of the holiness of Sunday or Senbat (the Christian Sabbath).

Exodus 20:8

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

The expression "keep the Sabbath day holy" means dedicating it to the Lord. So it is called "the Lord’s Day".

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve before they sinned was to fast. This was to practice self-control and obedience to the divine will.

Genesis 2:16-17

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eat thereof thou shalt surely die.”

The fruit with which man was tempted led to the fall in Paradise. In like manner, it was bread that Our Lord Eyesus Kristos was tempted with in the wilderness, but He triumphed in fasting.

Matthew 4:3-4

“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

Sanctification not only consists of putting off the old nature of Adam and sin, but putting on the new nature of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos. Practicing the true meaning of Holiness through fasting, prayer, good works, receiving penance and taking Holy Communion.

Romans 5:12-19

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Therefore by the offense of one man judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one man the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

We have to overcome our earthly desires and stay away from those who advise:

1 Corinthians 15:32

“let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.”

The main purpose of fasting is to make the desire of the body obey the will of the soul. For Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Christians it is mandatory to abstain from animal products and alcoholic drinks during this time. In most cases, only one full meal is taken a day after the 9th hour of the day (3:00PM), except on Saturdays and Sundays. Apart from the abstinence from certain foods, any form of music, including church drums and cymbals are unacceptable. The exception is listening to the Begena (harp of King David) or mourning songs. These are acceptable because the Great Lent Fast represents a season of mourning.

Daniel 10:2-3

“In those days Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”

The Importance of the Forty Days in the Bible

1. God Created Adam and brought him into the Garden of Eden after Forty Days

The Book of Jubilees (መጽሃፈ ኩፋሌ - Mets'hafe Kufale) 3:9

“And after Adam had completed forty days in the land where he had been created, we brought him into the garden of Eden to till and keep it, but his wife they brought in on the eightieth day, and after this she entered into the garden of Eden”

2. When God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain Forty Days and Forty Nights.

Genesis 7:12

“And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.”

3. After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled and spent Forty years in the desert tending flocks as spiritual preparation to lead the people of God out of Egypt.

Acts 7:30

“And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.”

4. Moses fasted for Forty Days as spiritual preparation to receive the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 34:27-28

“And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.”

5. The Israelites wandered for Forty years in the desert as spiritual preparation to enter into the Holy Land.

Deuteronomy 8:2

“And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou would keep his commandments, or no.”

6. The Prophet Elijah fasted for Forty Days as spiritual preparation, and then finally God revealed Himself to him.

1 Kings 19:8-12

“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.”

7. God gave Nineveh Forty Days to repent to receive his forgiveness and mercy.

Jonah 3:4

“Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

8. There were Forty Days between Our Lord's Resurrection and His Ascension

Acts 1:3

“He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”

May Medhanealem Grant us to See The Light of His Resurrection in Peace Amen!

The fast of Nineveh - የነነዌ ፆም

The fast of Nineveh is a three-day lent recognized by the Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The fast of Nineveh lasts from Monday to Wednesday, two weeks before the beginning of the Great Lent. The dates of this fast vary every year according to the date of Easter.

The scriptures not only teach us to fast and pray but also provide us examples of people who fasted and prayed and received their reward.

The Ninevites trembled at the voice of Jonah the son of Mattay, and took refuge in penitence. They admitted their sin , and humbled themselves before God with fasting and prayer.

Jonah 3: 5-9

" 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”"

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened."

Our Lord Eyesus Kristos spoke of Jonah’s time spent in the belly of a large fish as the only sign he was prepared to give to the unbelieving Jews when they seek from him to show them more miracles.

Matthew 12:39-40

“But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

During this fast, we also remember the three days Prophet Jonah spent in the belly of a large fish/whale.

Matthew 12:40

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Matthew 6:16-18

“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”

The story of the people of Nineveh teaches us the power of fasting and prayer.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand from five loaves and two fish

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church commemorates the miracle of Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos feeding five thousand people from the five loaves and the two fish on Terr 28 (February 06).

The Holy Bible mentions this as one of the great miracles which prove that He is the Creator.

Matthew 14:13-21

“Listen, when Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”

This great miracle, which had not existed before and can be performed by God alone, manifested the Divinity of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos.

The interceding power of the Apostles: Our Lord Eyesus Kristos knows the multitude are tired and hungry and he already had a plan to feed them but he waits until the Apostles are moved to intercede for them saying, “This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals”. Our Lord Eyesus Kristos answered to them saying, “give ye them to eat”.

The eternal food we all need (Holy Communion) is what Our Lord commands to be distributed by the hands of he Apostles to the faithful. He blessed it, broke it, and gave the loaves to his Apostles, and the Apostles gave it to the multitude. The Lord gave authority to his Apostles, and through them, to the priests of the church. Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kristos came to this world to supply the spiritual needs of the people.

John 6:31-36

“Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.”.

The mystical meaning:

The five thousand multitude are those who are sick in their five senses, and healed by the five loaves and the two fish.

The five loaves represent the Five Pillars of Mystery (Trinity, Incarnation, Baptism, Holy Communion, Resurrection).

The two fishes represent the precious Flesh and Blood of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos .

The twelve baskets represent the twelve Apostles who preach the words of Our Lord to the ends of the world.

One basket of fragments from each of the Disciples shows the true believers of Our Lord that would come from the preaching the Apostles.

Twelve basket fragments were lifted up and carried by the Apostles; for what the prophets, the kings and the fathers in the Old Testament wanted but were not able to see. The Apostles, who carried, held and preached to the ends of the world, carried the baskets. As our Lord and Savior said:

Luke 10:24

“For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”

The story of the feeding five thousand people teaches us not to turn away from the people who need our help. The Apostles said "send them away so they could go into the villages and buy something to eat” But our loving father, Our Lord Eyesus Kristos said "give ye them to eat".

Whenever we possess anything beyond our needs, we have stolen it from the hungry, homeless, or the one who has no clothes. As John the Baptist told us:

This great miracle, which had not existed before and can be performed by God alone, manifested the Divinity of Our Lord Eyesus Kristos “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”

Lord doesn't expect us to help all the needy by ourselves but to offer what little we have to Him. Then Our Lord Eyesus Kristos will work the miracle to make sure that it is enough and some leftover.

Glory be to our God and Savior Eyesus Kirstios forever. Amen.

Saint Mariam of Zion - ህዳር ፅዮን ማርያም

Mount Zion and the Ark of the Covenant are the very figure of Holy Virgin Mariam. Based on this biblical background the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has built the Church dedicated to Saint Mariam named as Zion Mariam. The Ark of the Covenant is the place of the presence of God, being kept therein the tablets of the Law given to the Prophet Moses. In comparison, the Blessed Virgin Mariam is the living Ark who bears in herself the very Word of God, made flesh, become her son; who carries in herself the very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Eucharist Christ.

Originally, Mount Zion is a hill in Jerusalem just outside the walls of the Old City on which David built his palace and where he also brought the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 5:7, 1 Chronicles 11:5)

Why we celebrate Zion Mariam on November 30 or Hedar 21 st ?

1. The return of the Ark of the covenant from Felesteme: The ark of God was taken; to the land of Felesteme after the two Decons, Hophni and Phinehas (sons of Eli), were slain because there father priest Eli didn't stop them when they were sinning against God. As the bible said “For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.”. The ark of the Lord stayed in Philistine territory seven months. And there were a deadly destruction throughout all the Felesteme city; the hand of God was very heavy on them. When Felesteme realizes the power of the Ark of the covenant they send it back to city of Zion on Nov 30 or Hedar 21st with lots of offerings and respect. 1st Samuel ch 4 to ch 6.

2. The ark of the covenant entered into the temple of King Solomon: The ark of the covenant came out of the city of Zion and moved to city of Jerusalem and entered into the temple built by King Solomon, 1st king ch 8 v 1-66

3. The ark of the covenant reached to Ethiopia: The ark of the covenant reached to Ethiopia for the first time at the time of King Menelik the 1st. King Menelik the 1st is the son of the Queen of Sheba (her family name has been Makida). The ark of the covenant is now housed in Axum Zion church.

4. Ethiopian Orthodox religion was officially became the religion of the country: for the 1st time at the time of King Abreha wa Atsbeha Ethiopian Orthodox religion was officially became the religion of the country or the state.

5. The ark of the covenant returned back to Axum Zion church: The ark of the covenant was kept hidden in Zeway Monastery for 72 years after Queen Yodit Gudit threatened to burn it and returned safely back to Axum Zion on Nov 30th or Hedar 21st.

May the prayer and intersession of Holy Virgin Mariam be up on us all!

The Fast of the Prophets (Tsome Nebiyat)

Fast of the Prophets (Tsome Nebiyat) is one of the seven official fasting seasons ordained in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church that starts on 15th Hedar (November 24) and ends on Lidet (Christmas, gena) eve 28th of Tahsas (January 06). The Orthodox Church observes the Feast of the Nativity of Eyesus Kristos with 44 days of fast, which culminates in the feast.

It is called the Fast of the Prophets because the prophecy about the coming of Eyesus Kristos was fulfilled. Sometimes it is called Yelidet Tsome or Christmas Fast to commemorate the Birth of Eyesus Kristos. The Prophets foretold the birth of Eyesus Kristos from the Virgin, Salvation of mankind, and yearned His coming using different creatures to symbolize Eyesus Kristos. Nowadays, when we fast it not by expecting the birth of Eyesus Kristos but to celebrate the gift we acquired consequent upon His Birth and to take part in the blessings of our forefathers, prophets and apostles.

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church recognizes the necessity for her children to “chastise the body and bring it under subjection”, as St. Paul advises 1 Corinthians 9:27. The body is ever striving for mastery over the spirit. Self-denial in lawful things enables us to turn with great earnestness to spiritual things. We have to overcome our earthly desire and stay away from those who advise quoting, “… let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32) It is on these grounds that the Ethiopian Church has strict fasting days for all members of the church above the age of 7.

Fasting is not only prayer and abstinence from eating meat, fat, eggs and dairy products but we should also refrain from all wrongdoings, and evil deeds such as vanity, violence, jealousy, hatred, and all works of Satan. Rather, it is a time of deeper repentance and it should be done with the object of seeking to know God in a deeper prayer and experiencing spiritual contemplation. We should also show mercy to the poor and the needy.

When we follow in the footsteps of the prophets and apostles, we give our witness that Eyesus Kristos is our foundation. Therefore it is not enough to know and speak about fasting; we have to live it and benefit from the fruits it brings forth.

Let it be His will to allow us to reach the graceful day of His Birth!!

Let it be His will to allow us to reach the blessed day of His Birth!!