Amen Ethiopia in Addis Ababa

The caravan goes further crossing a bridge in the deep Nile river gorge, and then over a high plateau. The drivers are tired, but we hear that a welcome reception group is waiting for us.Meanwhile it has become dark; we pass through Sululta just outside Addis Ababa when we suddenly see familiar faces. Everywhere there are people with flags, a vehicle from the national Ethiopian television corporation drives behind us with its cameras rolling. The caravan stops at Meskel square and we are greeted with flowers, we sing the Amen Ethiopia song in front of the T.V. cameras. Subsequently there is a reception at the Ghion Hotel. After some short addresses we enjoy a wonderful meal, while some of the pilgrims (including myself) are interviewed by the T.V. team. We have finally reached our destination, what rejoicing! At last we can take a good night’s sleep!

September 12... At the breakfast table we meet various professors and important people who have come to Ethiopia for the Millennium celebrations. After some deliberations, we drive to the patriarchal palace where Abouna Timotewos awaits us. He is the director of the Holy Trinity Theological College, the highest intellectual institution of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. He tells us something about his institution, until we receive a sign that we should proceed to the audience chamber where we will meet H.H. Patriarch Abune Paulos. After the initial exchanges Abba Tesfa Mariam the monk priest responsible for the Ethiopian Orthodox community in the Netherlands makes a speech, in which he describes our pilgrimage and the motivation behind it.(Meeting with H H Abune Paulos) His Holiness praises the consecration and dedication of the pilgrims, but is initially somewhat hesitant over the objectives and asks many questions. As the Amen Ethiopia song is sung the atmosphere becomes more convivial, Abune Paulos is clearly moved, the message of peace and reconciliation has obviously touched him. Fr. Petros takes the opportunity to invite His Holiness to the Amen Ethiopia Conference the following week. Both host and guests are in a very positive mood, when we receive the invitation to go to lunch.

We descend to the lower floor, and wash our hands (according to the Ethiopian custom) before entering the large dining hall. There are already many people present, Bishops, priests and laymen. We are told that it is a feast offered by the Church of St. George. We take our seats and notice that there are no women present except for the members of our group. We experience it as a great honour to be invited to dine with the Patriarch. The festive meal is a genuinely medieval type event. Stewards come in with huge platters piled high with heaps of injerra, meat, vegetables and fish. There is a choice of different drinks. The atmosphere is very friendly and we feel welcomed. After the meal we wait in the courtyard behind the palace. At a certain point we receive a sign that we should proceed to the adjoining audience room. The Patriarch Abune Paulos is busy writing in the Amen Ethiopia anecdote book. He asks somebody to read out his congratulations to the pilgrims and his good wishes for the Amen Ethiopia initiative, and converses in a relaxed way with the group. All the pilgrims receive a golden cross and a photograph. Everyone is really impressed; it is seldom that Abune Paulos takes so much time to speak with a visiting group. Members of our group who had met Abune Paulos at the Funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome, and on other occasions said that they had never seen him so relaxed and at ease with an ecumenical or inter-religious group. They experienced it as a genuine breakthrough in relations.

From the patriarchal palace the pilgrims drive to the Holy Trinity Theological College, where we are welcomed by Archbishop Abune Timotewos. The Amen Ethiopia group receives a guided tour of the premises, enabling them to appreciate the rapid progress being made with the recently begun large scale building project. They are invited to coffee, and hear about the history and activities of the institution. We proceed to the Holy Saviour Catholic Church, and discuss our programme in the refectory of the Capuchin friars.

Late in the evening we get together in a traditional musical feasting hall. We are lucky to find seats, it is full to overcrowding. Everyone wants to welcome in the new Millennium in an appropriate way. Among the different musical and dance items is quite a lot of Guraghe music. Members of the group get up and dance. Soon it is almost midnight; we go outside and look at the firework displays. There are a lot of people in the street, especially youth, they sing dance and celebrate according to their manner. We display the Amen Ethiopia banners, and distribute little flags, which are waved enthusiastically by bystanders. There is much noise and the festivities continue into the early morning.

The first day of the New Ethiopian Millenium: since it is a Wednesday according to Orthodox custom a fasting day, the celebrations are somewhat muted. Some people go to Church. There are no Amen Ethiopia activities, rather there is an opportunity to rest and recover from the exhaustion of the journey.

The following morning there is a big reception at the Holy Trinity Theological College. Various people associated with the Amen Ethiopia project are present. The Patriarch Abune Paulos arrives with the members of the Holy Synod. Singers from the Be’ata Mariam Church sing and dance according to the tradition of St. Yared, whose painting is prominently displayed on the wall opposite where the Patriarch sits. Well known poets declaim verses in Ge’ez, in the style known as Quene. The Patriarch holds an address in which he encourages those present to reflect on the deeper meaning of the transition from one Millennium to another. He says: Ethiopia was once one of the most advanced of the great world civilizations, and must re-conquer her rightful position on the world stage. During the Millennium year we stand on the banks of the river of time, we must discern in order to take with us that which is good and leave the rest behind. This requires real reflection about our identity, in order to pass on that which is essential to the following generations. This also demands that we should be awake and active, shaking off the slumber of generations. Everybody congratulated the Patriarch with presents, flowers, pictures, special bread and cakes, the edible items were distributed to those present. Finally the Patriarch answered the questions of foreign journalists.



Saturday morning the Amen Ethiopia pilgrims re-unite at the Holy Saviour Church in down town Addis Ababa. Our original programme was to visit Sheikh Elias head of the Supreme Islamic Council. We learn that this has been postponed and instead we visit Abune Berhane Yesus Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Addis Ababa and head of the Ethiopian and Eritrean Catholic Bishop’s Conference. He is a familiar figure for most of us, and we are warmly welcomed. Abune Berhane Yesus expresses his admiration for the pilgrimage journey, underlining how important he finds the cooperation between Diaspora and local Ethiopians. He states that this kind of initiatives is a great sign of Hope for the future. Abune Berhane Yesus also related about the significance of the Millennium transition from a biblical perspective, especially the connection with the Old Testament concept of a Jubilee Year as a period of grace.

Our next stop is the headquarters of the Orthodox Development Council. Here we meet Dr. Nigussu Legesse who has spent over twenty years working for international organisations in London, and now leads the Orthodox Development organisation. He gives us an overview of their activities and emphasizes that their motto is: “Towards Community Empowerment”, thus putting the accent on a rights orientated approach rather than a predominately religious one. He also stresses the involvement of his organisation in peace building endeavours, especially in preventing conflict during periods of heightened tensions.

We have lunch in a traditional restaurant established in a former nobleman’s residence behind Georgis Church. Subsequently we visit Bishop Andrew Proud, a recently consecrated Anglican Bishop and great supporter of the ecumenical movement. He relates something about his experiences during pilgrimages, and we exchange ideas about the significance of our journey and what we should do next. From the Bishop’s office we drive to the house of Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam a well known former human rights activist who was imprisoned until quite recently.(Meeting with Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam, ex Political Prisoner) He shares with us about concepts such as reconciliation and forgiveness relating them to his own experiences, especially the aftermath of the communist period. His vision of the present situation is somewhat sombre. He compares Ethiopia today with a train hurtling down a railway line at high speed full of arguing passengers. Instead of looking ahead, the train driver looks behind and tries to use a weapon to frighten the crowd of passengers so that they will be quiet. Meanwhile the driverless train risks falling into a deep abyss or encountering a worse fate. It is only if the passengers make peace with each other that the driver will be able to take up his actual task, and guide the train to its proper destination.

September 16: We meet at the Catholic Church where a huge Millennium celebration is underway. Crosses are blessed from all the dioceses of Ethiopia,(Meeting with the Ethiopian Catholic Bishops) and finally the Amen Ethiopia Pilgrims are called forward and sing the Amen Ethiopia song. Abune Berhane Yesus congratulates us on our arrival and comments on the significance of the peace pilgrimage. It is a very special moment for all of us and we join in the spirit of celebration. After the liturgical celebration there is a reception and the opening of the Catholic Millennium exhibition. The Church in need camera team is present, and we notice some of the members whom we saw in Konigstein.

September 17. Our first stop in the morning is the central offices of the Mekane Yesus (Ethiopian Evangelical Lutheran) Church,(Meeting with H .E. Rev. Itefa Gobena) where we meet the president Itefa Gobena. He talked of the journey towards peace which Ethiopia is going through after the recent release of political prisoners, and described this as an answer to prayer. From there we proceed to the offices of the supreme Muslim Council and are ushered into the office of Sheikh Elias.(Meeting with H E Sheik Elias Redman) He first tells us how impressed he is by the name ‘Amen Ethiopia’, but how disappointed he was that they were not properly informed about our arrival and involved in the reception committee. In his speech he insists that the supreme Islamic Council desires to preserve the original Sufi character of Ethiopian Islam with its commitment to tolerance and peace. He takes time to interact with the group and apologises for the lack of refreshments due to the beginning of Ramadan. Subsequently we visited the Millennium Cooperation Committee at the municipality. We are told that Ethiopia is a country with huge resources, which remain unutilized due to the lack of progress. The real key is genuine peace, cemented by the solidarity of traditional religious values and indigenous spirituality. (Meeting with Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association)Our final port of call is the Ethiopian Women’s Lawyers association. We hear about their struggle in a traditional society where gender equality is still a distant dream. Horrifying stories are told about the fate of young girls involved in strange marriage practices against their will. We become aware of another area in which peace and justice is still very much needed in the Ethiopian context.

September 18. We all get up early put on our Amen Ethiopia T-shirts and come to the African Union Conference hall for the Amen Ethiopia Conference. H. H. Abune Paulos the Ethiopian Patriarch sent a representative Archbishop Abune Mikael who opened the proceedings with prayer. Other religious leaders were present in person. Abune Berhane Yesus Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa issued a call to say Amen to the Ethiopia of Justice and the Ethiopia of Peace. The president of the Mekane Yesus Church Itefa Gobena said of Amen Ethiopia: your presence in Ethiopia strengthens cooperation and cultivates a sense of unity in diversity. Ethiopia is an example to the globe of different religions living together in peace; the new Millennium should be an opportunity for the flourishing of all groups. The renowned (but slightly eccentric) Professor Ephrem Isaac gave a short message in which he told a story about two rabbis, stressing the importance of brokenness of heart in the context of peace and reconciliation. Subsequently there was a power point presentation about the pilgrimage of hope, which combined slides and video clips in a way which conveyed something of the feel of the journey. Dr. Azeb presented an overview of Professor Hizkias Assefa’s seminars, and the woman Begana player (traditional ten-stringed harp, known as the harp of David which is usually played by men) Yetemwork gave a moving rendition of several spiritual songs. Yetem Work is one of the few renowned woman Begana players.

The afternoon programme included various items such as a presentation by Idris Mohamed entitled an ‘Islamic Perspective on Peace and Reconciliation’. He said that Islam had a long history in Ethiopia, which was often not really appreciated. The new Millennium should encourage an attitude of ‘hearing from the heart’. He insisted that all men are children of Adam and Eve and quoted a text from the Koran which said that God created man in many tribes, so that they might come to know each other – not despise each other. A lecture from Addis Ababa University gave a presentation on Art and Peace and Reconciliation. .He talked of the force of creativity and the force of mimesis (imitation) and how arts such as poetry portray things; as they are, as they are said to be and as they ought to be. The arts encourage the expression of feeling; they can foster a feeling of trust and understanding conducive to peace, and be used to imagine a peace situation which can be conducive to achieving actual peace. There was also a question and answer session, which centred particularly on the desire for more participation in Amen Ethiopia by the Muslim community, and the importance of linking up with other related organizations. There were also prayers by members of different faith communities.

The reactions to the conference were very positive; it was broadcasted on national radio and television. A young Ethiopian Orthodox monk Abba Zedingel from the Holy Trinity Theological College was very impressed by the conference, and said that he had never before seen Christians and Muslims dialoguing together in such a positive way. (Amen Ethiopia Confererence at Africa Hall) In the evening one member of the Amen Ethiopia group gave a banquet with traditional music at the Addis Ababa restaurant, which is situated in a former nobleman’s residence. It was an appropriate opportunity to celebrate the success of conference and relax together.


On September 19, we had no group activities, however they resumed on September 20. We visit the Netherlands embassy together where we are received by the assistant Ambassador Mr. Dokters who has special responsibility for development issues. He says that Ethiopia is a country with a tendency towards conflict and not enough conflict resolving mechanisms. The effect of the Diaspora is both positive and negative, he admires the way Amen Ethiopia seeks to mobilise them in a positive way. He stresses the importance of peace as a prerequisite for development in the Horn of Africa.
(Ethiopina Human Rights Council) From there we proceed to the Ethiopian Human rights organisation and have a talk with Abebe Worke and other officials. He expresses how their work is concentrated on statements, major quarterly reports, press releases and agenda appeals. The cases they deal with range from extra judiciary killings to minor infringements of human rights. They are also involved in the provision of legal aid and in responding to questions concerning infringements of human rights. Monitoring and lobbying are important areas of activity.


21st September: We were invited to an interfaith conference in connection with the International (U.N.) Day of peace and the presentation of awards to the Elders who had been instrumental in the negotiations with the government which resulted in the release of over 17 thousand prisoners. Different speakers described the particular perspective of Christian reconciliation, which begins with the victims since God hears the voice of the poor and oppressed. The representative of Catholic relief services emphasized how peace building through local faith based organisations was one of the pillars of their work, according to the maxim of Pope John Paul II ‘without peace there is no development’. A key theme was that Africans should look inwards towards their own traditions and solve their problems of peace making themselves. An excellent example of this was the Ethiopian Elders initiative; they were consequently the object of much admiration. They were given medals and a large Golden Cup, which their leader Prof. Ephrem triumphantly placed on his head. The representative of the European Union gave a message congratulating the Council of Elders and saying that the Millennium should be a catalyst for developing a new future, bringing peace and prosperity to all. Others talked of the new momentum for peace contributing to the Ethiopian Renaissance.

22nd September: We did not have any official Amen Ethiopia programme. However, in the evening we saw that we were on T.V. It gave much wider coverage than anything so far and featured detailed interviews, with members of the group and video footage. Many people we afterwards met commented on it being an excellent presentation and successfully communicating the aims and aspirations of the initiative.
23rd September: The Abyssinian Baptist group visiting Ethiopia in connection with the 200’th anniversary of their founding and the Millennium, are guests of honour at the Morning Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral next to our College. It is interesting to hear the speeches underlining Ethiopian and Black American solidarity and spiritual union. An English Carribean Orthodox priest invites me to join the group and we participate in the reception at the Patriarchate.

24th September: In the morning we visit the headquarters of I.P.I. the interfaith Peace-Building Initiative. We hear about the golden rule of treating others as one wanted to be treated oneself. The IPI emphasis is on working with youth, promoting respect and tolerance, organizing workshops and now there is a new initiative to create peace clubs in schools. Interfaith activities in Ethiopia have been orientated more to relief work, in the present situation new initiatives required especially concerning trust building in the face of the extremist international movements. The ability of Amen Ethiopia to mobilise the Diaspora was noted and possibilities for cooperation discussed.

25th September: We finally complete the process for transfer of the ownership of the Amen Ethiopia vehicles to the representatives of different charitable institutions. There had been many more hurdles than expected due to the Ethiopian bureaucracy, and our motley inter-religious group was obliged to return repeatedly till the process was finally completed.

26th September: no group activity.
27th September: In the afternoon we all go to Meskel (holy Cross) square, which recently returned to its original name after having been known as Revolution square. Heavy rainfall delays the beginning of the celebration, but does not douse the spirits of the participants. Amen Ethiopia pilgrims are in the enclosure reserved for specially invited guests. The Gurage contingent is not present, since it is a unique family and cultural celebration in the area. The festival of the holy cross occurs every year, however, this year because of the Millennium celebration and the presence of so many foreign dignitaries it is celebrated on a completely different scale. Tens of thousands of spectators flock into Meskel square, crowd surrounding buildings gather on rooftops and in nearby churchyards. Over three thousand five hundred youth from Orthodox Church organizations, choirs of Orthodox chanters performing the sacred dance, various brass bands, groups of motor cyclists and some colourful floats participate in the celebration. After hours of dancing, parades, chanting and some colourful displays interspersed with a few speeches, the Ethiopian Patriarch together with other major Church leaders light a huge bonfire. Suddenly thousands of tapers are lit transforming the darkness into a sea of dancing lights, still further embellished with a firework display. Many of the groups of young participants start dancing. There is a tremendous atmosphere; the participants are convinced that it far excels the government organized millennium celebration not so long before. Someone comments that this proves that the Church rather than the government is guardian of the nation. In Ethiopia the festival of the Holy Cross is a festival of peace and reconciliation. For many of us it was a high point of our pilgrimage and the Millennium celebrations. Let us hope echoing the words of Archbishop Mar Giorgis Kyrilos that our pilgrimage has contributed to the slow beginnings for a movement of peace, which gains such momentum that it cannot be stopped.

Amen Ethiopia Pilgrimage – Cairo to Addis Ababa

Amen Ethiopia Pilgrimage – Cairo to Addis Ababa ...

The caravan departs for Upper (i.e. South) Egypt and we drive through the suburbs of Cairo. The Nile landscape appears to be timeless, yet signs of progress are clearly visible. At a certain moment we are stopped by the police and from that point on we are escorted by armed soldiers. Suddenly we leave the banks of the Nile and turn inland. After negotiating various country lanes we arrive at the monastery of Dair el Moharek known in Ethiopia as Debre Kuskwam, it is the holiest place in Coptic Egypt. Somewhat later we find ourselves in the old Church together with a monk Fr. Fim who gives us some explanation.

We learn that this was the place where the Holy Family stayed for six months. Everywhere else in Egypt the idols fell down as they approached and consequently the local inhabitants forced them to go further and they could not remain long in one place. However, in the area of the present monastery of Dair El Moharek there were no houses or idol images, consequently the Holy Family could remain in peace. Besides the beautifully preserved old church with its ancient icons, we also visited a nineteenth century Church with a Byzantine style marble iconostasis, and a citadel or fortified tower. Here the monks could take refuge in times of attack. It was provided with a chapel where the monks could pray for angelic assistance. A prominent feature was a striking parchment painting of the archangel Michael, parchment paintings are more characteristic of the Ethiopian tradition.

From Dair El Moharek we drove 60 kilometres with our police escort to Aswan, one of the cities with the highest percentage of Christians in Egypt. We were welcomed by the Catholic bishop of Aswan, a learned man who speaks many languages and is widely travelled. We decide to continue our journey at midnight, and in the meantime most of the pilgrims take the opportunity to get some rest.

The police are ready to accompany us at 12 o’ clock. After driving through villages and cities we finally arrive in Aswan at 12 noon, much later than we expected. We proceed directly past the high dam to the port, on the shores of the great lake which connects between Egypt and Sudan. We ask advice from the representative of the ‘Nile Water Transport Association’, a certain Mr. Salih who speaks excellent English. He explains to us that we cannot achieve anything that day, and must come to his office in the town centre in the morning. Somewhat disappointed we return to Aswan, and look for lodgings in the city centre near to the office where we should make enquiries the next day.

In the morning we try to arrange everything for our further journey especially the transportation of our vehicles. We learn that the vehicles and people must travel separately, and that the boats transporting our cars will be at least a day longer en route. We decide to load our cars the next day, and travel ourselves the day after that. But it turns out to be impossible to complete the whole procedure the same day. In the afternoon we decide to take an outing with a ‘falluka’ a traditional boat to visit some of the islands on the Nile. It is wonderful to be on the river and to see everything from a different perspective. We visit the Kitchener island with its splendid botanical gardens. Subsequently we have an extended guided tour of the archeological excavations on the Elefantine island, where Pharonic temples, roman ruins, and a temple built by Jewish mercenaries, jostle each other. According to the popular historian and bestseller author Graham Hancock, the Arc of the covenant was here for a while on its journey down the Nile to Aksum Tsion in Ethiopia. We also cast a glance at a Nubian village along the way.

It is the first Sunday in September but we have no time for going to Church. Our first job is to finish the remaining part of the paperwork procedure from the previous day. Subsequently we sort our baggage keeping only the most essential and valuable items with us. We depart in great haste for the port, there are comprehensive security measures, all the baggage has to pass through a screening machine and some items must be opened for inspection. The chief customs officer with whom we have dealings turns out to be an Orthodox Christian and is so impressed by our church connections that he does everything to help us. He ensures that we only have to pay a modest fine due to the fact that we are three days over the permitted transit period for our vehicles. Finally our cars are positioned precariously on the motorised barges, and we can return to the city.

In the morning we all drive to the port in a minibus. We have been warned that it is necessary to make an early appearance to ensure receiving places. We are too late to be able to obtain tickets for cabins and have to satisfy ourselves with places in the great passenger’s hall. In the meantime we speak with Johan from South Africa. He is a former Oil Company magnate. Since he is on his way back he has all kinds of useful information to share. In the evening the ferry finally embarks and somewhat later we take refuge in the first class cafeteria, until we are evicted. Finally we go up on deck and look for a place to sleep in between the great heaps of baggage, merchandise and the other passengers.

The ferry cruises past the temple of Abu Simbel and we have the opportunity to see at a distance one of the most impressive monuments of ancient Egypt. We sail further and further along a barren coastline consisting solely of sand and bare rock. Finally after midday we arrive in the port of Wadi Halfa. It is a sleepy town with less than 7,000 inhabitants, but one of the most important points of entry to Sudan. After the usual entry procedures we are shuttled to the town in a bus.

It is very hot and there is no air conditioning, except for an occasional breeze. We drink litres of water and hang around waiting for news of the vehicles. We have opportunity to read and discover that there are some Ethiopians and Amharic speakers among those working in the area around our hotel. The local population is friendly and invites us to take very spicy tea and ice cold Karkade (Hibiscus Flower drink) with them. The pilgrims are exhausted by the heat and the gnawing uncertainty about how long we would have to wait there. We begin to fear that we might end up spending celebrating the Millenium in Wadi Halfa or somewhere else in Sudan.

The following morning we take our habitual spicy coffee and mini donuts at the roadside. In the afternoon we hear rumours that our vehicles have arrived and we must make all kinds of special arrangements with the customs personnel since normally they do not work on Fridays and Saturdays.

The next day a group of us goes to the port in order to finish the custom’s process. Finally somewhat after midday the vehicles appear, and we prepare for departure. At approximately three o’clock our trek through the desert begins. There is no asphalt or for that matter any kind of visible road. We simply follow the railway line and the electricity poles. We follow at some distance more like a timid flock of sheep. He makes an effort not to distance himself from us.

At some points the sand is fine and soft, we become bogged down in it. We are obliged to get out of the vehicles, shovel the sand away from the wheels and undercarriage, and place large stones on which the wheels can take a grip. Sometimes towing ropes are used. It is exhausting work; the worst thing is the uncertainty about how often it will need to be repeated. The assistance of Johan is indispensable during this part of the journey. Finally we pass through the most difficult area and can proceed more quickly. We drive past the famous pyramids of Meroe, an ancient and important (partly Christian) civilization which traded with Aksum in the dark.

When we reach the asphalt road near Atbarra we bid a heartfelt farewell to Johan and his wife, and precede non-stop to Khartoum. There we are welcomed by an Ethiopian Comboni Missionary Father Asfaha Yohannes, who is responsible for the Comboni postulants house. We are also re-united with Amaha an Ethiopian Orthodox deacon who accompanied us from Italy, but was obliged to fly from Jordan to Sudan due to visa problems. We have lunch together in an Ethiopian restaurant and meet some members of the Ethiopian community in Khartoum. Subsequently we continue our journey towards the Ethiopian border. Gradually the landscape changes, it becomes greener and there is rain. Finally we stop in Gedaref the last city before the border, the urban landscape is miserable and muddy, it is after midnight and there is nobody around on the streets. Eventually with the assistance of a friendly local soldier we are able to locate a modest ‘tourist hotel’. We decide to spend the night there.

We arise early in the morning. Nearby I find a wayside youth with an enormous polished bronze kettle, who sells steaming cupfuls of wonderfully spicy tea and little donuts for a few cents. By the time I return nearly all the pilgrims have taken their places in the vehicles and we can depart. We drive thirty kilometres to the border post at Gallabat. The border is marked by a river which can be crossed by a bridge. We blissfully drive across the bridge and rejoice at being in Ethiopia again, only to be told that we have not completed the required procedures on the Sudanese side. We are obliged to return and do everything according to the book regulations, then finally we are allowed to cross the border again. What a relief to have made the last border crossing!

We proceed to Mettama the next city, where we go through certain customs procedures, in connection with the importation of the vehicles. A customs official who was particularly helpful accompanies us to (near) Gondar, where he will spend the Millennium festivities with his family. The Mahbere Sellasie monastery is located nearby. Previously access had been very difficult due to the absence of a good road. An excellent asphalt road had been built. It was encouraging to see clear improvements in the Ethiopian infrastructure! After Metamma the whole atmosphere changed considerably, we ascended higher and higher and found ourselves in the familiar landscape of highland Ethiopia.

The long journey through the Egyptian and Sudanese deserts caused us to appreciate the Ethiopian landscape in a new way. It is so dramatic, variable and green! This is really God’s special land on the roof of the world, as the Ethiopians describe it. Even those who were seasoned travellers in Ethiopia looked around themselves as if with new eyes. We arrive in Bahar Dar late at night. We occupy rooms in a Hotel and in the course of a meal in a nearby restaurant make the acquaintance of the brother of one of the Pilgrims called Haymanot. It is our first night back in Ethiopia!

The father another brother and younger sisters of Haymanot come to the Hotel early in the morning to meet us. The caravan begins to move as soon as possible headed for Addis Ababa. Passing through the region of the historic Agau ethnic group we encounter a procession of wild horseman with colourful attire including lion manes. They are taking part in a Millenium celebration.

Amen Ethiopia Pilgrims in Cairo, Egypt.

Meeting with Drs. Cornelis Hulsman Editor-in-Chief Arab-West Report and Director of Center for Intercultural Dialogue and Translations.

The Arab-West Report and The Center for Intercultural Dialogue and Translations works mainly on providing independent, objective and contextualized documentation, reporting, interpretation, analysis, and commentary on cultural, social, and religious issues concerning the Arab world and the West. This Center, like many people living in Egypt, feels that issues affecting Egyptian society are often distorted or misrepresented in Western media. They believe that the distortions are linked to selectivity in taking materials from the Arab media by which there tends to be a focus on angry or radical statements or incidents and also lack of background knowledge of the social and cultural factors that affect Egyptian society. During a short visit to their office they very much encouraged the Amen Ethiopia vision and stressed the importance of dialogue and exchange of accurate information in any society. In addition to that they also expressed their willingness to work together with Amen Ethiopia if the need arises in the future.


A visit to H.E. Sheik Alazar the highest religious leader of Islam in Cairo, Egypt.

It was around 2:00 pm when we arrived at the beautiful building that looked like an open book when you look at it from outside. A lady told us that the shape of the open book is to show openness and tolerance for others. By the time we got there, Sheik Alazar already has received about 6 groups of visitors before us so we were grateful that he was still smiling when we met him. He said he welcomes all those who work for peace and love stating that Muslims and Christians are ‘brothers in humanity’. He also said that he is completely with us in the effort we make to make Ethiopians in peace with their brothers. He stated that nobody should be forced to have one religion, if anybody is forced it will not be sincere and stressed that being from different religion does not mean that you can’t cooperate to bring peace for the country. He expressed his wish for success in the effort the pilgrims of Amen Ethiopia are making saying that He would like to see all Ethiopians Muslims or Christians to be the best brothers and sent his greetings to all.


Amen Ethiopia Pilgrims at WATANI International Cairo, Egypt.

We had a very interesting meeting with the Managing Editor Samia Sidhom and a couple of journalists from WATANI International, Egyptian Sunday newspaper in Cairo. Like typical journalists the WATANI staff was full of questions for us about the nature of the group and objectives of Amen Ethiopia. Among other things they informed us that in the Egyptian Coptic calendar it is now 1723 and asked about the origin of the Ethiopian calendar and it’s relation to the Egyptian one. Speaking from her experience in Egypt, Samia Sidhom expressed her concern about the challenges of promoting continuous constructive communication between people in the Diasporas and the ones living in the motherland. She stressed the importance of dialogue as the first step in doing productive work saying “dialogue continues all the time” and also encouraged us to work hard to see the fruit of the dialogue we are trying to promote. Hand in hand we sang the Amen Ethiopia song and exchanged very practical and useful information. I must say that we really had a good time with this group.


Members of the Amen Ethiopia Pilgrims with Abba Gebre Meskel, an Ethiopian Orthodox priest in Cairo.

Abba Gebre Meskel expressed his sadness to the members of the pilgrims that the world is becoming more destructive in trying to control nature and that it’s forgetting the value of spirituality. He expressed his appreciation of the initiatives Amen Ethiopia is taking and encouraged the Amen Ethiopia pilgrims to focus on God’s way and continuous prayer. He gave his blessings and promised to keep us in his prayer.


Visiting the Monastery of Debre Kuskwam (Deir El Moharic).

This monastery which is also known as the second Jerusalem in Egypt is found 60 km away from the city of Ashud. According to Abuna Fem, the monastery was called the second Jerusalem because it was the only place the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph stayed for 6 months away from home and also in connection to Isaiah 19 from the holy bible. This place is special for Ethiopians to visit said Abuna Fem, because it is believed that back in the old days, the Ethiopian empress Mintewab during her visit to Jerusalem stopped by this place, took some pieces of the earth and built a church in Gondar and named it Debre kuskwam which is still present to this day.

A short visit with Bishop --------in Asyut.
Even though we stayed with this down to earth, very kind Bishop for only a couple of hours, we were very inspired by his hospitality and fatherly attention he gave us. A hot meal, a nice cold shower in this sticky hot summer weather and a clean bed was exactly what we needed after hours and hours of driving through the desert road. On his way to a prior commitment he had, he told us to feel at home and ask for anything we might need and with his hand on his heart wished us all the best and told us that we are welcome to his place anytime.

Amen Ethiopia Pilgrims visiting the United Nations in Geneva. During our short stay in Geneva, we visited the UN in addition to an Ethiopian Orthodox Church, The Red Cross and The World Church Council.

Amen Ethiopa with sister Barbra at the community house in Antioch.

Amen Ethiopa with sister Barbra at the community house in Antioch.
We spent the night at this community house in Antioch with the Pilgrims of Trust. A very kind nun waited for us until 2.00 in the morning to show us our rooms and where we can find water incase we got tursty at night. 7 people including sister Barbra live in this very antique looking place and all of them from different religious back ground. The Pilgrims of Trust pray daily for peace in the world, specially in the middle east. They were so much pleased to welcome Amen Ethiopia to their community house and exchange ideas. In a room filled with small carvings depicting the word 'peace' in different languages, we sang together and shared a moment of silence all in the name of peace. They asked us to write the word 'peace' in Amharic and promised to make a similar carving and put it on the wall with the others. They said the next time we come to visit them, it will be there. As we were about to leave, Sr. Barbra came out to sprinkle our cars with holy water as it is a custom there that a guest will return to visit if you did that.

Audience with the Patriarch of Syrian Orth Church Damascus

His Holliness Mor Ignatius Zakka I, Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church.
We met His Holliness at the monastry of st. Ephrem in Saidnaya near Damascus. His Holliness was willing to see us in a very short notice. We gave a short introduction of the purpose and hope of Amen Ethiopia. His Holliness welcomed us very warmly,he said that he visited Ethiopia at the time of King Haile Silassie and repeatedly said: 'we love Ethiopia' which was very heart warming for us.He also said that Ethiopia and Syria share a special historical tie in that monks from Syria went to Ethiopia to preach the word of God in the earlier days of Christianity. He said our visit to Syria will strengthen the relationship between Ethiopia and Syria.

Friends among strangers:
We met this very special family at the bottom of the hill at the monastry in Syria. They asked who we were and we told them about Amen Ethiopia's pilgrimage. They immediately invited us for tea at their house which was not far from the monastry. I must say that we were touched and speechless by their kindness. Who would invite 14 strangers to their family home which was very fancy too, at this time in the world? On top of the drinks and sweets, they gave us gifts of candles, family pictures and the Qu'ran with their blessings and well wishes for our journey and peace for Ethiopia too.

Mozes monastery Nabek near Damascus.

A short visit to Father Paulo and Deir Mar Musa Al-Habashi in Nabek
We visited a monastry known by the name of a martyr called moses the Ethiopian. It is located in Nabek 300 steps up the hill in a land basically dominated by muslims. The place is highly respected and regarded as holy even by the muslims. 11 monks including Father Paulo live there, all from different christian denominations, praying and working for intereligious and ecumenical dialogue especially to promote mutual understanding and respect between the muslims and Christians in the middle east.

The Mufti of Istanbul

The Mufti of Istanbul
Meeting with His Excellency the Mufti (The highest Muslim religious leader) of Istanbul, a very pleasant man who was on his first day of office in Istanbul.
He greeted us with a very big smile and a warm welcome. On his welcome speech he pointed out that clashes in the world are clashes of not really religion or faith but of interest. He said it is such a beautiful thing to hear the sound of church bells along with the Alahu akbar of the Muslims early in the morning in Istanbul. After the Amen Ethiopia Pilgrims song which we sang hand in hand with him, he sang for us about the will of the Creator to make us all different and that we should love and respect one another.

The Writers and Journalists Foundation
Meeting with The Journalists and Writers Foundation. It felt very much like meeting friends. This group shares our vision in a very peculiar way. They worked with diverse people around the world in relation to inter-faith dialogue and peace building parties. Besides giving each of us gifts of tea cups from Istanbul they also gave us their words that we will work together in the future in bringing the vision of the Amen Ethiopia to a reality. They informed us that it was established in 1994 and shared some of their experiences which were of use to us all.

Audience with His All Holiness the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople (Istanbul).
We were offered to go to the guest room by the His Holiness’s personal secretary. After a few minutes All His Holiness arrived, a very graceful man who was well informed of our mission. We gave a very brief introduction of our visit. He pointed out the importance of dialogue and that it always needs sacrifice. He appreciated our effort and also said that he has been in Ethiopia before and plans to go back in the near future. He gave us his blessing, told us to send his greetings to all the religious leaders we meet along our pilgrimage. At last he gave each of us a small cross and told us he will keep us in his prayer.

Meeting with Father Gabrielle.
Address by Father Gabrielle a Greek Orthodox priest in Athens Father Gabrielle is in charge of the Synodical Committee on Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations. He took us to Areopagus Hill where the Apostle Paul preached the Good News (Gospel) to the people of Athens for the first time. Right at that spot father Gabrielle addressed the pilgrims of Amen Ethiopia by expressing his heart felt wish for peace, reconciliation, transformation and unity in Ethiopia at the eve of the third Millennium.

Abba Tesfamariam L. Mersha and Abba Petros Berga with Pope Benedict during the weekly audience.

The Pope blessed the pilgrims and appreciated the undertakings of Amen Ethiopia in promoting interreligious dialogue, peace and reconciliation. He emphatically expressed that he supports the initiative. He wished the pilgrims safe journey and promised to think them in his prayers.