November 11th,
Axum is a holy city, full of stelea and obelisks inscribed with thanks to God in three different languages. Today was spent visiting the stelae fields. We also went by the St. Mary of Zion church, which is the location of a holy pilgrimage to take place shortly after I must leave to the states. Sisay said that the whole fields are crowded with pilgrims, camping and sleeping amongst the tombs, waiting for the day.
It costs 60 birr to go in, and I am debating whether or not I should pay it. I probably should, and might do so tomorrow , depending on what Fisseha has planned or how much time he has to talk with me.
It’s quite frustrating to not be able to speak the language. I’m just relieved that I finally have a few good pictures to show for my efforts.
Fisseha came by our hotel today and I am going to meet him tomorrow morning to talk some about the churches here. I specifically would like to know more about the church structure.
There are so many children here working….selling Kleenex “soft soft soft soft” I don’t know what to do to change it, to make it better.

Demographics: I have mostly observed slightly more females than males at church services, although the clergy is made up entirely of females.
They seem to be the poorer spectrum of society- there aren’t a lot of suits at services, and there are always beggars present- crippled or blind (usually from a treatable bacterial infection).
Physical actions- sometimes during the chanting members of the congregation bow, but there are varying degrees of bowing- some are merely an exaggerated nod, while other times people are bent over at the waste. I do not know what precipitates what degree of bowing.
There is a section of the chanting that is marked by a slow forward descent to the ground, knees tucked under the stomach. The upper body is lowered gradually until the forehead touches the ground, and sometimes the ground is kissed first.
When priests are seen walking down the street, it is common for a person to walk up and touch their forehead to the cross, and then kiss the cross.
When entering the Tekla Haimonut church, the wall is kissed three times (reinforcing the trinity) and then the sign of the cross is made.
Concluding the prayer you take one hand in your other and touch each of the three sections of your finger (marked by knuckle creases) and repeat ‘father, son, holy spirit’ each time, and then repeat the process saying ‘st. mary, st. mary…..’
I’m not sure if I can videotape a service or not. I’ll have to talk to Tamrat when I get back to mekelle.
How does tourism, trade, population patters affect church services, music?
What are they saying??
What symbols? Does the chanting, the circular, continuous nature of the chanting, help people enter a meditative state that helps them detach from normal, everyday state of consciousness to an elevated one that helps them communicate with God, or helps them feel they are communicating with God, or are in a suspended state between earth and God?

Saint Yared- Ethiopia’s patron saint of music- often in the murals, shown holding a sistra, drums or prayer sticks. St. Yared’s chant at Tekla Haimonut- is this the same everywhere?