ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Millions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gathered on Monday at celebrations for Epiphany, locally known as Timkat, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist. In the capital, Addis Ababa, many waited for the tabots, which are symbols of the Ark of the Covenant meant to contain the 10 commandments and are used to consecrate churches. “We are celebrating the baptism of Jesus Christ, and our hearts are filled with joy,” said Bereket Adugna, 43, who traveled from Addis Ababa with his wife and two children to Batu. This comes at a challenging time for Ethiopia, as tensions have escalated with neighboring Eritrea and famine continues to worsen. Humanitarian organizations warn that millions of Ethiopians need emergency food aid, amid declining humanitarian support from Western nations.

Source: Ethiopian News January 19, 2026 14:47 UTC