November 12
Sometimes it is difficult , I want to write but I’ll just stare at this screen and I don’t know what to say.
Ethiopian greetings: When two people know each other in Ethiopia, usually they greet each other with big smiles, a warm embrace, and then at least three kisses (kisses in the air next to the cheek), alternating from cheek to cheek.
Sometimes a person takes another’s into both of his/her hands, and accompanied by a slight bow. Other times a person draws another closer and reach with the left hand behind the back and across to the right shoulder.
Greetings are often accompanied by “sister” or “brother”, “my sister”
There are over 120 rock hewn churches in this area, only about 35 of which are frequented by tourists, and these only rarely. Many of them are thousands of years old, and each has a priest who holds the key to a church. Sometimes it is difficult to locate a priest, as he might be working out in the fields, or may be at market.
Many are located in remote mountainous areas (many churches are completely monolithic, while others are semi-monolithic, the point being they are carved directly into the stone itself, which translates arduous climbs to even reach some of the churches. Of course, a guide is needed to do this type of thing. I’m not sure how much it would cost.
Churches Fisseha recommended that I see:
St. Mary of Tsion: there is an old one, and a new one. The old one is rectangular in shape and a good example of traditional architecture. It was build by Emperor Fasiladas (founder of Gondor) in 1665.
There is a chapel here in which many Ethiopians passionately believe holds the Ark of the Covenant. Women are not allowed inside.
There is also a new St. Mary of Tsion church which was built by the Emperor Haile Selassie, and would not be considered traditional architecture.
I’m told that with a guide it is possible to see 3 churches in a day (of the rock-hewn variety).
Abba Garima Unfortunately, women are not allowed inside. It was founded by one of the nine saints in the sixth century, and known for its collection of religious artefacts including Ethiopia’s oldest manuscript (dating to the 8th century).
The other churches I have not yet been able to find any information on, but their names are 1.2 Debre benkol
1.3 Debre abay

Fisseha told me he would be by today “this morning” but it is now 10:00 AM and I have yet to see him. I suppose I’ll go give him a call now.
What would be a really awesome project would be to get a grant to write an English book about the rock hewn churches.
I would love to do this type of study but it would require at the minimum having a translator (or spending at least a year learning Tigrinya) and a vehicle to drive around quite frequently, which could get to be quite expensive. I would love to go see more rock hewn churches and spend more time at them but unfortunately I just don’t have the cash.
Here I also think an expense is paying people for their time for interviews. People are so poor here I think it’s the right thing to do to compensate people for their time.
Why do beggars stay by churches? Is it because they think that is the most likely place to be given a few birr, or because they know they will at least be fed there? Or do they feel like being close to god is the only thing that makes continuing to live bearable?
There was one beggar in particular that I saw outside of the rock hewn church, sitting on the cool dirt, back slouched unconcernedly against the stone wall of the church,knees drawn to stomach, his chocolate brown bald head cast downward nearly to his tucked in tired legs (in prayer? In desperation?) shoulders and body shrouded in ratty, coffee with cream colored shawl. Human camouflage against the light tan stone. Forgotten.
Yet even this man, when it was time rose and lifted his hands toward heaven, and when he was done knelt and kissed the holy ground of the church.

Taking Photographs in places of worship:
I didn’t anticipate feeling badly or guilty about photographing people worshipping. I feel like I am stealing something, like the moments are too fluid and important to be stopped in time- but I want to show other people what worship is like for other people, I want to see for myself, and to remember.
Although I had permission, people were still curious and craned their covered heads to peer at me from behind their shawls- I felt like I was distracting them from their connection with God.
Is it worth it?
Silence in the Churches:
In other churches in the Anglo traditions, and I’ve been to several of them, there is more than just the preacher doing talking. There are distracted children writing notes to one other, chewing bubble gum, checking the second hand on their watches until the obligatory hour is done with.
Not so in the rock hewn churches of Tigray.
Church isn’t a once a week social obligation. There are certain days which are more important than others- the main service is held on Sunday, and there are special saint days which always draw more people and prayers.
But, there are services everyday, in the morning and evening. Throughout the week, large groups of people come to pray, or to be counseled, or to worship.
Often the services are come and go- people will come, bown, kneel, pray, chant- and when they are done, they leave. In fact several people opt not to go into the church at all, sometimes because they feel that their actions over the previous days (or weeks) have made them unworthy to do so.
Or, maybe it’s because no one is looking at you. People might notice if you’re standing next to them, but there are so many people, and services are generally crowded, and every one is clad in the same white head coverings (differing only in the hem of the garmet, which sometimes posess elaborate designs). No one is completing a roll card.
Everyone is utterly silent except for the priest, unless it is time to chant, in which case the entire congregation lifts their voices heavenward.
This learning process begins very early, while practitioners of the Orthodox faith are quite young. During the week, after the 5 o’clock service (at least this is the case with Tekla Haimonut church) are taken to a separate area of the church in which there is a singing teacher who demonstrates the various chants. The two main ones I have observed are St. Yared’s chant and a Thank You chant. I have not been able to find someone who is able to translate these songs for me yet.
Frustrations! I called Fisseha, who is supposed to come by and talk to me about the church today, at 10:30 (he very generally told me yesterday that we would talk tomorrow morning, which is today, damn it!) and he said that basically he would see me this afternoon. So all freaking day I have been waiting for this contact (because in the past I have missed him because I wasn’t in my hotel room and because he is the director of Tourism, speaks excellent English, and is potentially my most important contact, especially in terms of future possible research! So I have to be here when he comes, only now it is 3:30 and STILL he has not shown up and I’m just wasting away the day in the hotel room debating whether or not I should call him again (I don’t want to irritate him) and dwelling over how many churches I could have photographed this morning (one of only a short few here in Axum!!) IF HE HAD ONLY TOLD ME AFTERNOON INSTEAD OF MORNING< Y E S T E R D AY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I suppose I did edit photographs and work on some writing, and read a bit about the history of Axum, but the day still seems lost to me. I know the medical students encounter similar occurrences working at the hospital. The whole attitude seems to be, don’t worry, it’ll happen. Like the foundation that was built for a new school room but hasn’t the money for additional building materials (or teachers for that matter) or the hospital that was built 10 years ago and is just sitting there, wasting away, unused, becoming dirty and dishelveled from a decade of neglect. Maybe it’s an attitude of faith that more funding will come along? Is this in anyway linked to religious beliefs? I don’t know.