Everyone knows the country of Ethiopia, as it is the second most populous country in Africa and the thirteenth (!) In the world list. It does not have free access to the sea, in some places it is separated from it by a distance of only 50 kilometers. What is known about this place, about people, about traditions and mores, or, for example, what religion is in Ethiopia? Not so much. But it was this unremarkable country that became the third in the world to make Christianity the dominant religion long before it entered the territory of the Slavs.
Separation of Religions in Ethiopia
At the moment, two main beliefs can be distinguished in the country:
- Christianity - from 333 years. About 70% of the total number are Orthodox Christians, 8-10% are Protestants, and even less - 1% are Catholics.
- Islam - since 619.
Only in the south of the country, in its remote corners, can you still find echoes of ancient religions: animism and Rastafarianism, but their percentage against the background of the total mass of Christians is negligible and continues to decline.
Orthodox orthodox church
After Osroeni and Armenia in the distant past, the king of Ezan adopted Orthodox Christianity, moreover, officially made him the main religion of the country. It remained dominant as long as there was a monarchy regime in Ethiopia: neither Islam, nor closely intertwined Judaism, nor ancient cults could crush the main religion.
Historians and researchers claim that it is the Ethiopian church that is one of the purest and oldest in the world. It retains the Monophysite belief as the main one, despite the fact that in the world the religion of Ethiopia is considered to be purely Orthodox. There were several monastic orders until the 20th century, and they were divided in relation to the nature of Jesus Christ:
- Teuahdo - supporters of this order read that Christ is inseparable from the divine and human, he is one in all aspects.
- The Eustathians claimed that, on the contrary, Jesus cannot be considered an ordinary person, like a deity, he is something else, not subject to awareness of the primitive human mind.
The very first bishop of the Orthodox religion among the peoples of Ethiopia was the Syrian Frumentiy, which, perhaps, left its mark on the formation of the code of rules. Until the 15th century, it was categorically impossible to capture divine images in art: there were no icons, no frescoes in temples, or sculptures. They say that this rule was canceled by the emperor Zara Jacob, who wished to decorate the church of St. Mary in the pilgrimage center of Lalibela. For quite a long time since the founding of Orthodoxy in Ethiopia, “God's people” were under the authority of the Coptic Church, and only in 1959 they became independent, and Autocephaly of the Ethiopian Church was proclaimed in 1960, although the Coptic Church recognized it only four years later.
Echoes of Other Religions in Ethiopian Christianity
Given the fact that the Orthodox Church in the Middle Ages was almost isolated from others due to the popularity of Islam in other African countries, many of its characteristics are considered as close to traditional as possible:
- The day of God is Saturday, not Sunday.
- Believers do not consume pork (as in Judaism and Islam), many kosher foods are prohibited during fasting days.
- A ritual of male circumcision is practiced, which takes place on the eighth day.
- The Ethiopian church is the only one that rejects the Old Testament, considering it obsolete after Christ came to Earth.
The religion of Ethiopia also uses its own calendar, in which 13 months (instead of the usual 12), so the calendar is different from the Gregorian calendar by seven years.
In addition to all the Orthodox holidays, which are zealously celebrated by believers, the Meskel festival, which is celebrated in the spring, is very popular among the people: large bonfires are lit around which people dance, ritual baths are performed in natural reservoirs and special songs are sung. This holiday somehow reminds of Ivan Kupala in Russia.
Animism (faith in the animation of everything in nature)
This particular religion is adhered to by no more than 12% of the entire population of the country, in some areas it is closely intertwined with Orthodoxy: the clergy in Christian Ethiopia have not only priests familiar to the general understanding, but also a separate caste, the debaters. It is believed that they are intermediaries between ordinary people and the world of the spirits of nature, which many Ethiopians also believe in, despite the main religion. Ethiopia's population respects holy places, therefore violence of any kind is forbidden on the territory of temples, monasteries and lands adjacent to them, even the smallest animal or vice versa a wild animal is never touched, respectfully avoiding it.
Debaters perform ritual services for appeasing spirits when nature is angry, perform ritual dances that take place even in ordinary Christian services, and are also healers and healers for those who ask for their help.
Islam
Islam currently enjoys the same rights as the Christian faith: in 1974, these two religions became equal in law. In fact, Muslims in Ethiopia are no more than 32% of the total population, and most of them are Sunnis.
Islam first entered the country in 619 along with Quraysh, who had to flee their native lands. According to legend, the ancient Ethiopian rulers granted refuge to the Prophet Muhammad during his persecution, and since then this country has received inviolable status during the Muslim wars in the name of Allah. Starting from the 8th century, Islam, as the religion of Ethiopia, began to grow stronger, but could not surpass Christianity, despite the repeated attempts of some rulers to make it more significant for the people. Moreover, many Muslim holidays are state holidays along with Orthodox ones - people rest and attend their churches this day.
Tolerance as a guarantee of peaceful existence
Ethiopia’s religious policy is structured in such a way that the country doesn’t have any conflicts over religion, and in no case does the right to choose a religion be infringed.
Muslims, Christians and atheists most often coexist peacefully with each other, calmly referring to the choice of each, than they deserve the respect of the whole world. Even small groups of animists, Rastafarians, Jews and other beliefs feel completely protected, since in Ethiopia they respect all religions. Although sometimes there are tense moments.