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Experience Your Epiphany at Gondar's Timkat Festival

Published by Jonathan Vaas, Writer

Country: Ethiopia

The Experience

Gondar, one of Ethiopia's largest cities, springs to life every January for Timkat, the Ethopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. Timkat, which is celebrated on January 19, commemorates Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by reenacting the holy ceremony, and nowhere is the festival more stunning than in the 17th-century palaces of Gondar where the Ethiopian emperors once reigned. The main ceremony takes place in the Fasilides Castle, located just outside town in the Royal Enclosure.

Travelers gather from all over the world to witness the Gondar's Epiphany ceremony, when a model of the Ark of the Covenant is reverently wrapped in cloth and the laity have a rare opportunity to observe its splendor. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated alongside the Fasilides bath in the morning. At dawn the royal bath is blessed and its waters are sprinkled on the participants, who are then invited to renew their baptismal vows by immersing themselves in the water. The festivities don’t end there. The remainder of the day is spent in celebration, which culminates in a colorful procession during which the holy ark is escorted back to its church. The many-hued robes and umbrellas of the clergy illuminate the cityscapes with unforgettable colors, which move about as the participants perform joyous dances and songs; children run about hollering and playing with sticks and games. Rhythmic songs shake the ground and surge endlessly from dawn to dusk, when the holy ark has been safely restored to its church home. Then its time for an epic Ethiopian feast visitors will not soon forget.

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Puzzle

When to Go to Timkat

Gondar has a full-service airport, with daily flights from Addis Ababa, Bahar Dar, Axum and Lalibela. From the airport the city center can be reached by taxi or minibus. Buses also travel to Gondar from Addis Ababa, which take around two days and stop overnight on the way. For travelers that have the time, the bus route is a good way to see Ethiopia’s vast landscapes.

Odds n' Ends

Besides the famous palaces, Gondar boasts several other points of interest, most notably: the famously decorated Church of Debre Berhan Selassie, which is regarded to contain the finest art anywhere in Ethiopia; the abbey of 18th-century Empress Mentewab in the nearby mountains; and the Felasha village, with its renowned pottery. Travelers should also enjoy a day in downtown Gondar, with its Italian-influenced architecture, shops, restaurants and cinema. The town is also home to Gondar University which includes Ethiopia's main faculty of medicine.

Want a Guide?

Ethiopia: Timkat Festival Tour
Ethiopia is a land of so many wonders – cultural, geographical and historical – it will undoubtedly surprise and amaze you. Our Timkat tour focuses on the historical circuit of the north, where you will witness the staggering 12th Century rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the 17th century castles of Gondar, the 3,000 year-old stellaes of Axum as well as the fascinating mass epiphany of Timkat.

Recommended Places to Stay

Goha Hotel
For a great view of the city, stay at the Goha Hotel, located a few kilometres from the town center on top of a hill. The hotel is one of northern Ethopia’s best, boasting excellent service and ambiance for a very affordable price.

More Experiences Nearby

Journey Through the Kenyan Bush to Lake Turkana
Not only is Kenya home to one of the most well-known mountainous landmarks in the world, it's also home to one of the most renowned lakes in the world—Lake Turkana. Lake Turkana is both the world's largest desert lake and largest alkaline lake, and is found in the north of Kenya's Rift Valley lakes, with the Lake’s northern side stretching into Ethiopia. It has a deeply-rooted history stretching back thousands of years, and many parts of the Lake and surrounding area have been the location for excavation expeditions to uncover fossils. Located 400 miles north of Nairobi, Lake Turkana isn't ...635 miles away.

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Books and DVDs

Ethiopia & Eritrea Travel Guide - LonelyPlanet.com
Awe-inspiring, beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking, Ethiopia and Eritrea are not like anywhere you've been before. A realm of rock-hewn churches, buzzing bazaars and untouched wilderness, the Horn of Africa is truly unique.
A Year of Festivals: How to Have the Time of Your Life (Paperback)
Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips (Hardcover)
No one knows the world like National Geographic—and in this lavish volume, we reveal our picks for the world's most fabulous journeys, along with helpful information for readers who want to try them out.

Elsewhere on the Web

The Epiphany Festival of Timkat - PilotGuides.com
Timkat is celebrated all over Ethiopia, but nowhere is it quite as spectacular as in Lalibela, an isolated mountain town in the arid north of the country.
Timkat - Wikipedia.org
Timkat is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19 (or 20 on Leap Year), following the Ethiopian calendar.

Media References

Festival of Timkat- BBC.co.uk (television)
In Pictures
Aksum Journal; Found in Ethiopia: Keepers of the Lost Ark - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
Like many Ethiopians, the deacon who greets visitors outside St. Mary of Zion Church here has no doubt about the exact location of the Ark of the Covenant, the most sacred object of the Old Testament and the focus of one of the greatest mysteries of all time.

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