Abyssinian Churches celebrate Timqet or the Feast of Baptism with great pomp on January 19 (or 20 during Leap Year) annually. In fact, in Abyssinia, Timqet celebrations have traditionally been more colourful than Christmas festivities. For Abyssinians, like other Eastern Christians, the Feast of Baptism commemorates the revelation of the Saviour of the World as manifested through the baptism of Jesus in the waters of the River Jordan by John the Baptist. Today, however, we are going back more than two centuries and half to witness Timqet celebrations during the rule of Ra’si Michael Suhul in the Tigrinyaland.
It is January 1770. Two or three decades have passed since Ra’si Michael had united most of the lands of the Tigrinya under his rule (at least the parts that were not under Ottoman Turkish control). He had established Adowa as the capital of Tigrinyaland. On this occasion, however, the great man is out of town, marching against his rival Wereyna Fasil of Damot. So we will not be meeting him. Nevertheless, the Scottish traveller, James Bruce1 is in town, and willing to report all he had seen and done in the presence of Deghesmat Weldemichael, the then governor of Adowa:
The small river, running between the town of Adowa and the church, had been dammed up for several days. Being summer, the stream was scanty, so that it scarcely overflowed. It was in places three feet deep, in some, perhaps, four, or little more. Three large tents were pitched the morning before the feast of Baptism: one on the north for the priests to repose in during intervals of the service, and beside it a second one to communicate in; on the south there was a third tent for the monks and priests of another church to rest themselves in their turn. About twelve o’clock at night the monks and priests met together, and began their prayers and psalms at the water-side, one party relieving each other. At dawn of day, the governor of Adowa, Deghesmat Weldemichael, came thither with some soldiers to raise men for Rasi Michael, then on his march against Wereyna Fasil of Damot. Far down on a small hill by the water-side, he had left his troops, all skirmishing on foot and on horseback.
As soon as the sun began to appear, three large crosses of wood were carried by three priests dressed in their sacerdotal vestments, and who, coming to the side of the river, dipped the cross into the water, and all this time the firing of muskets [in place of artificial fireworks], skirmishing, and praying went on together. The priests with the crosses returned, one of their number before them carrying something less than an English quart of water in a silver cup or chalice. When they were about fifty yards from Deghesmat Weldemichael, that General stood up, and the priest took as much water as he could hold in his hands and sprinkled it upon his head, holding the cup at the same time to Weldemichael’s mouth to taste. Then the priest received it back again, saying, at the same time, “Eghzier yibar’ka,” which is simply, “May God bless you.” Each of the three crosses were then brought forward to Deghesmat Weldemichael, and he kissed them. The ceremony of sprinkling the water was then repeated to all the great men in the tent, all cleanly dressed as in gala. Some of them, not contented with aspersion, received the water in the palms of their hands joined, and drank it there. More water was brought for those that had not partaken of the first; and, after the whole of the governor’s company was sprinkled, the crosses returned to the river, their bearers singing hallelujahs, and the skirmishing and firing of muskets [in place of artificial fireworks] continuing.
Janni, my Greko-Abyssinian friend, had recommended me to the priest of Adowa; and, as the governor had placed me by him, I had an opportunity, for both these reasons, of being served among the first. My friend the priest sprinkled water upon my head, and gave me his blessing in the same words he had used to the others. But, as I saw it was not necessary to drink, I declined putting the cup to my lips, for two reasons: one, because I knew the Abyssinians have a scruple to eat or drink after strangers; the other, because I apprehended the water was not perfectly clean. for no sooner had the crosses first touched the pool, and the cup filled from the clean part for the governor, than two or three hundred boys, calling themselves deacons, plunged in with only a white cloth, or rag, tied round their middle; in all other respects they were perfectly naked. All their friends and relations (indeed everybody) went close down to the edge of the pool, where water was thrown upon them, and first decently enough by boys of the town, and those brought on purpose as deacons. But, after the better sort of people had received the aspersion, the whole was turned into a riot, the boys, muddying the water, threw it round them upon every one they saw well-dressed or clean. The governor retreated first, then the monks, and then the crosses, and left the brook in possession of the boys and blackguards, who rioted there till two o’clock in the afternoon.
I must, however, observe, that, a very little time after the Governor had been sprinkled, two horses and two mules, belonging to Ra’si Michael and Weyzero Esther his wife, came and were washed. Afterwards the soldiers went in and bathed their horses and guns. Those who had wounds bathed them also. [Believing the waters to have healing qualities owing to the blessing placed on them.] I saw no women in the bath uncovered, even to the knee; nor did I see any person of the rank of decent servants go into the water at all except with the horses. Heaps of platters and pots, that had been used by non-Christians, were brought thither likewise to be purified. Thus the occasion ended.
References
- Bruce, James (1790) Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773. Chapter XII. J. Ruthven: Edinburgh. ↩︎