jovan-pratama
Ethiopians across the country and among diaspora communities have marked Meskel, one of the most significant celebrations in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church calendar, with worshippers using the occasion to appeal for peace as fighting intensifies in several parts of the country.
The annual festival, which commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by Saint Helena in the fourth century, is typically a moment of national unity, drawing millions of adherents to churches, public squares and family gatherings. This year, however, the celebrations have been overshadowed by renewed clashes between the federal army and a rebel alliance operating across multiple fronts.
According to reporting by France 24, the festivities took place against a backdrop of fresh combat, with the Ethiopian military engaging opposition forces in several regions simultaneously. The juxtaposition of joyous religious observance and escalating violence has lent particular poignancy to the traditional Meskel appeals for reconciliation and harmony.
Meskel, which usually falls on September 27 or 28 in the Gregorian calendar, is best known for the Demera ceremony — a massive bonfire lit on the eve of the festival. The fire symbolises the direction in which Saint Helena was guided to find the cross, and the burning of the Demera is followed by the scattering of its ashes, which the faithful mark on their foreheads as a sign of blessing.
In normal times, the celebration attracts huge crowds to Mesida, the square in Addis Ababa where the largest Demera in the country is held, with senior government officials and religious leaders often appearing side by side. The event is also observed by Ethiopian Orthodox communities in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere, making it one of the most widely shared expressions of Ethiopian cultural identity.
This year's observance has been coloured by the renewed fighting, which involves the Ethiopian National Defence Forces and a coalition of armed groups that have been active in various parts of the country. Details of the latest clashes remain fluid, but the scale of the confrontation has raised concerns about a further deterioration in security conditions.
The rebel alliance has been described as operating across multiple fronts, a development that stretches the capacity of federal forces and complicates any prospects for a negotiated settlement. The renewed hostilities underline how fragile the situation remains despite previous attempts to stabilise parts of the country following earlier conflicts.
Religious leaders have repeatedly positioned themselves as voices for dialogue in Ethiopia's turbulent recent history. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which counts a large share of the population among its adherents, has on several occasions urged restraint and called for peaceful resolution of disputes, though its interventions have not always produced tangible results on the battlefield.
For ordinary worshippers, the Meskel message of light overcoming darkness carries an especially heavy resonance this year. Many of those who gathered for prayers and processions spoke of their hope that the festival's spiritual significance might encourage leaders on all sides to prioritise the well-being of civilians over military objectives.
The human cost of renewed fighting is likely to be substantial. Past rounds of conflict in Ethiopia have produced displacement, disruption of livelihoods, and severe strain on health and humanitarian services. Aid agencies have warned that any fresh escalation risks compounding an already difficult situation for communities that have yet to recover from previous episodes of violence.
Ethiopia's recent history has been marked by intense internal conflict, particularly in the northern region of Tigray, where a brutal war between federal forces and regional authorities caused widespread suffering before a peace agreement was reached. The current clashes involving a broader rebel alliance suggest that the underlying grievances and political tensions that fuelled earlier violence have not been fully resolved.
Analysts note that the timing of the renewed fighting, coinciding with a major religious holiday, may be significant. Periods of national celebration often heighten public awareness of political failures and can amplify demands for accountability, particularly when worshippers are explicitly calling for peace from within their places of worship.
The government has not issued a comprehensive public statement specifically linking the Meskel celebrations to the security situation, though official messaging has generally emphasised the need for stability and the rule of law. Rebel groups, for their part, have framed their operations as responses to perceived marginalisation and governance failures.
International observers are watching the situation closely. Ethiopia's stability carries implications for the wider Horn of Africa, a region already grappling with multiple crises, including displacement, food insecurity and cross-border tensions. Any prolonged internal conflict risks diverting attention and resources away from these pressing challenges.
For the faithful who gathered to mark Meskel, the central ritual remains an act of hope. The lighting of the Demera and the marking of ashes are, in the tradition's own logic, gestures that affirm the possibility of finding what has been lost — a fitting metaphor for a country searching for a path away from violence.
Whether the calls for peace voiced during this year's festival will influence the calculations of those waging war remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the juxtaposition of celebration and conflict has sharpened the sense among many Ethiopians that the country's future depends on whether its leaders can translate the spiritual aspirations of Meskel into political action.
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