Ethiopians celebrate Meskel holiday with pomp, despite recent fighting in Tigray

Millions of Christians in Ethiopia gathered to celebrate Meskel, a holiday commemorating the 4th-century discovery of the True Cross by Empress Helena. The religious observance also marks the end of the rainy season and the start of spring in the agrarian nation.

The celebrations occurred while fighting continued in the northern Tigray region, with conflict spreading into the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions. UNESCO recognizes Meskel as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In the southwestern town of Welkite, Kibrom Yohannes celebrated the holiday after his flight to Adigrat in Tigray was canceled due to clashes between Ethiopian government troops and forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Yohannes expressed concern for his wife and elderly mother in Tigray, noting that the interruption of flights prevented him from delivering diabetes medication to his mother.