{"id":186569,"date":"2026-04-13T23:39:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T23:39:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/186569\/"},"modified":"2026-04-13T23:39:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T23:39:27","slug":"ethiopian-orthodox-christians-in-washington-mark-easter-with-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/186569\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethiopian Orthodox Christians in Washington mark Easter with prayer"},"content":{"rendered":"

By JESSIE WARDARSKI<\/p>\n

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Dressed head to toe in white, hundreds of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians packed tightly into Washington, D.C.\u2019s DSK Mariam Church to sing hymns in the ancient language Ge\u2019ez, to pray, and to stand vigil as their Easter Sunday unfolded.<\/p>\n

The celebration of Christ\u2019s resurrection, a core belief known as Fasika in Amharic, is observed a week after Catholic and Protestant<\/a> Easter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe dress in white so that we are groomed for heaven,\u201d said Archdeacon Getahun Atlaw.<\/p>\n

For the Ethiopian Orthodox, Fasika is the most important and revered time of the church calendar. Festivities and rituals build in intensity over Holy Week, culminating in an eight-hour, overnight service that ends with the breaking of a 55-day fast in which believers abstain from meat and animal products.<\/p>\n

For some members of the DSK Mariam Church, hardships were greater this year as Ethiopian communities in the U.S. faced efforts from the Trump administration to revoke temporary protected status for over 5,000 people from Ethiopia.<\/p>\n

A federal judge recently blocked<\/a> this decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes a grind and courage to get to where they\u2019re at,\u201d said 18-year-old deacon Jonathan Melaku of the members who founded the church. \u201cOur people will always stay resilient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of the largest Ethiopian community in the United States<\/p>\n

Many Ethiopian families have come to the U.S. over the past 50 years, and the Washington church is now filled with first- and second-generation Ethiopian Americans.<\/p>\n

\u201cEthiopians are hard workers, disciplined, mannered, and they know how to come together,\u201d Atlaw said. \u201cWe\u2019re not here merely, we bring values.\u201d<\/p>\n

DSK Mariam, formally known as Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, is part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition \u2014 one of the oldest branches of Christianity.<\/p>\n

Located in the D.C. metro area, home to the largest Ethiopian diaspora community in the United States, the church serves roughly 4,000 people weekly.<\/p>\n

This Easter, about 1,500 people gathered for the overnight service, which ended at 3 a.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe climax is the resurrection because if there was no resurrection, there would be no Christianity. It would just be an empty philosophy,\u201d said Abraham Habte-Sellassie, a \u201ckesis\u201d or priest \u2014 who helped lead the Divine Liturgy from midnight to 3 a.m., representing the three hours they believe Christ was on the cross.<\/p>\n

Sebawit Yirsaw, who joined the church 16 years ago just after she immigrated from Ethiopia, says people feel a special connection during Fasika because they want to be saved.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe salvation is always something that we feel like much needed because we all go through a lot of hardship in life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Congregants<\/p>\n

Congregants walk to Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, for Easter service, in Washington, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"Deacon<\/p>\n

Deacon Tassew Yinadu, center, plays the drum, or kebero, during Easter service at Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, in Washington, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"During<\/p>\n

During Good Friday, priests, or \u201ckesis,\u201d chant together as they huddle under a dark purple and gold garment, to represent Christ triumphing over evil and providing salvation, at Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, in Washington, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"Women<\/p>\n

Women pray during the overnight Easter service at Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, in Washington, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"Congregants<\/p>\n

Congregants hold lit wax candles called tuaf during Easter service, to represent the moment of resurrection, when they believe the light of Christ dispelled the darkness at Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, in Washington, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A group of women break their fast together outside of Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, in Washington, after Easter service, Sunday, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tekola family gathers for a feast to celebrate Easter, or Fasika in Amharic, and break their 55-day fasting period, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Triangle, Va. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"Deacons<\/p>\n

Deacons celebrate Good Friday at Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, in Washington, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

\"Members<\/p>\n

Members of the Tekola family pray together before breaking their 55-day fast on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Triangle, Va. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 9<\/p>\n

Congregants walk to Re\u2019ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, for Easter service, in Washington, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jessie Wardarski)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a>
\nA weekend of prayer and worship<\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, on Good Friday, the priests huddled together and were covered in a dark purple and gold garments, representing Christ triumphing over evil and providing salvation. The priests together chanted, \u201cLord have mercy upon me.\u201d<\/p>\n

At another point, clergymen beat out a flame, representing the defeat of Satan.<\/p>\n

And throughout this service congregants and clergy alike prostrated dozens of times.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re living Christ-like as much as we can,\u201d said Atlaw. \u201cThe prostration is a passion to Christ\u2019s love. What he has done for us, the sacrifice.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Easter, during the nocturnal service, the lights are dimmed and long skinny wax candles called tuaf are lit to represent the moment of resurrection, when they believe the light of Christ dispelled the darkness.<\/p>\n

The church erupted as clergy and lay people alike chanted: \u201cYour resurrection is for us who believe. Send your light upon us, send your light upon us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe celebration is so joyful that you don\u2019t even feel that you\u2019re tired,\u201d said 21-year-old Deacon Amanuel Argaw.<\/p>\n

Fast-breaking and feasting together<\/p>\n

After the Easter service, congregants rushed out into the dimly lit streets, birds softly chirping, drawn by the smell of doro wat, a traditional Ethiopian dish of spicy chicken, simmering in spices.<\/p>\n

Gathered in small groups on the sidewalk, congregants ate small bites to break the fast before going home to rest.<\/p>\n

Later in the day, family and friends gathered for an Easter feast and fully broke the fast together over doro wat and other traditional Ethiopian food.<\/p>\n

Continuing these ancient traditions<\/a> in the United States and teaching them to the youth is crucial for members of the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis history and value can go wherever Ethiopians go. This is our history. How can we take it lightly? \u2026 This is who we are,\u201d said Atlaw. \u201cWe have to pass it from generation to generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Selamawit Tekola, breaking Easter fast with her large Ethiopian family is a must.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Selama says, take off work and show up, it\u2019s not optional,\u201d joked Tekola\u2019s niece, Adey Thomas, as they sat together in a house full of friends and family.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the States, it\u2019s very, you know, rush to go, go, go especially in the D.C. area,\u201d Thomas. \u201cThis is the one time to stop and celebrate with family.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, on a warm Easter Sunday in Virginia, the family showed up. Dressed in traditional clothing they stood together around the homemade food and said a prayer. They shared traditional honey wine called Tej and eventually Ethiopian coffee.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born Orthodox and I respect it, I love it. So that means a lot for us.\u201d said Tekola. \u201cThat\u2019s what we are teaching our children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP\u2019s collaboration<\/a> with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By JESSIE WARDARSKI WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Dressed head to toe in white, hundreds of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians packed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":186570,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[25],"tags":[95469,77528,65,95846],"class_list":["post-186569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ethiopia","tag-dsk-mariam-church","tag-easter","tag-ethiopia","tag-ethiopian-orthodox-christians"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@africa\/116400040505284446","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186569\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/186570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}