Instead of December 25, Ethiopia (and particularly the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church) celebrates Christmas on January 7. The 29th of Tahsas is the day before Christmas according to the Ethiopian calendar. Christmas is also observed on January 7 by many other orthodox churches worldwide.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church now has its own unique days added to the Coptic Orthodox Church’s (located in Egypt) calendar, which it initially borrowed. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church refers to Christmas as Ganna or Genna. On Christmas Day, most people attend mass. In the 43 days prior to Christmas, a large number of individuals participate in a particular Advent fast. It begins on November 25 and is referred to as the “Fast of the Prophets” (Tsome Nebiyat).
Traditionally, only one vegan meal each day is consumed during this time. Since meat, dairy, eggs, and wine are not consumed during the fast, this meal is vegan. People dress in white for Ganna. Most individuals dress in a Netela, a type of traditional clothing. It’s a thin piece of white cotton fabric with vibrantly colored stripes running down the ends. It is worn like a toga or shawl. If you reside in a large city or town, you might dress in western attire.
On Christmas Eve (also known as the gahad of Christmas), services begin at 6 p.m. and last until about 3 a.m. on Christmas Day. The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa. A contemporary city it is. Most individuals who live outside of major cities reside in circular homes with thatched cone-shaped roofs and mud-plastered walls. Stone buildings that are rectangular in shape occasionally exist in rural areas. Ethiopian churches have a similar layout to residences. They have been carved out of rock and are frequently extremely old in the country. Modern churches are constructed in three concentric circles in urban areas.
