Axum Tsion
The Church
of Our Lady Mary of Zion (ርዕሰ አድባራት
ቅድስተ ቅዱሳን ድንግል
ማሪያም ፅዮን) (Re-ese Adbarat
Kidiste Kidusan Dingel Maryam Ts’iyon) is a church in Northern Ethiopia,
Axum Town of Tigray Regional State.See in Google Maps (https://plus.google.com/103084698910453674661/about?gl=US&hl=en)
The
original church, being believed to have been built during the reign of Ezana,
the first Christian emperor of Ethiopia, during the 4th century AD, and has
been rebuilt several times since then,
is the most important church in Ethiopia, and claims to contain the Ark
of the Covenant.[1]
This church is the first to be built in Ethiopia.[2]
This church is the first to be built in Ethiopia.[2]
Axum
Tsion is is one of the most Holliest
places in the world as it has the Ark of Covenant given to Noah in to his hands
directly from God.[3]
Emperor
Haile Selassie's wife, Empress Menen, paid for the construction of the new
chapel.[4] Over
the centuries, however, the church has been destroyed and rebuilt several
times; the present structure dates from the 17th century.[5]
Hidar Tsion/ Mariam Tsion
Among
the biggest celebrations in the Axum Tion Church, Hidar Tsion is the first. It is celebrated on November 29 and 30[6],
every year. Hidar Zion is associated
with the presence of the Ark of the Covenant in Axum and the belief that the
Ark itself is a symbolism to her womb and this festival is attended by tens of
thousands of people from all over Ethiopia, making it one of the most joyous
annual pilgrimages in Axum, the "sacred city of the Ethiopians."[7]
In the eve fly to Axum and tonight attend
the eve ceremony at the Zion (Mariam Tsion) church where
as legend has it the original Ark of Covenant is housed.
The following day early morning, attend the
colorful church ceremony at Mariam Tsion; pilgrims from all over the country
come to express thanks after the fulfillment of a wish, or in the hope of
miraculous cure. Believers wrapped in white shawls besides on this day the
pilgrims sing with joy with the priests one after the other and among the
swaying choir the priests (usually two) raps on drums, letting out a deep boom
and female’s voice respond in a piercing chorus of ululations.[8]
![]() | |
Celebration of Hidar Zion |

The
environment is dotted with hilltop villages intervened with crop-fields and
thread like footpaths.[9]
Useful Web Links
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Our_Lady_Mary_of_Zion,
accessed on 21, April, 2015
[2] http://tedytour.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=108&Itemid=193&lang=de,
accessed on 21, April, 2015
[3] The
Holly Bible, Genesis 9 ÷
1-17
[4]
Note 1, id
[5] http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/517802/Church-of-St-Mary-of-Zion,
accessed on 21, April, 2015
[6]
http://www.villageethiopiatour.com/axum-tsion-mariam-celebration/,
accessed on 22, April, 2015
[7] http://www.yamatoursethiopia.com/axum-tsion-celebration-of-st-mary.html,
accessed on 21, April, 2015
[8]
Id
[9] http://www.myseruethiopia.com/index.php/attractions/historical-atraction/axum.html, accessed on 25, April, 2015
[9] http://www.myseruethiopia.com/index.php/attractions/historical-atraction/axum.html, accessed on 25, April, 2015
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