Chrismas In Lalibela

The religious celebration of Lidet (also known as Gena in parts of Ethiopia) takes place over three days, culminating in Christmas Day, which is celebrated on 7 January in Ethiopia.

Christmas in Lalibela is an extraordinary experience as the town’s population more than doubles in size in the weeks preceding Lidet. In advance of the three-day celebration, tens of thousands pilgrims gather, camping in the hills around the town and its famous rock-hewn churches.

Some are from nearby communities, and others have walked for weeks to get here. As you walk through the town, you feel the anticipation and sense something special is imminent. Traders set up market stalls, residents open their homes, welcoming any pilgrims who want to come in and eat with them, and local young people wash the feet of the tired pilgrims.

On Christmas Eve you join the white-clad crowds in the church of Bete Emanuel, where the rhythmic chanting and signing continue in the warm candlelight through the night. Your guide gives you all the information you need to be respectful and understand what’s happening around you. He was a deacon in the church himself, and has taken part in these ceremonies since childhood. The ceremonies themselves are solemn and mesmerising. Here, Christmas is celebrated as it has been for hundreds of years and you are struck by the devotion of the faithful.

Gondar’s World Heritage status is due to its impressive 17th-century castles and churches. Christmas Day is observed on January 7th. Travel to Lalibela, a city established by King Lalibela in the 12th century to serve as the Second Jerusalem. Explore a collection of churches nestled in rock formations.