Leyland Cecco

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

ETHIOPIA | Saturday, 12 January 2013 | Views [418] | View Larger Image

Resting against the rock face of the church, an Orthodox Christian is caught in a moment of contemplation. Each of the underground churches contain a thick and richly coloured curtain hiding a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, viewable only by priests, deacons and bishops.

Narrow tunnels underneath the churches and within the mountain connect the churches, and as the number of pilgrims swell dramatically with Christmas approaching, the passages become an increasingly tight traverse. Stories of long treks echo off the cool stone, with one pilgrim telling me of his group's barefoot journey of more than 8 days in order to reach Lalibela. As so many villages are within reach, more than 60,000 pilgrims descend on the churches each Christmas.

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Serenity and fulfilment consummate one's spiritual journey. For the pilgrims transfixed in prayer, the experience has been a voyage both into the depths of the earth as well as the depths of their own faith.

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Leyland Cecco

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

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