Ethiopians Celebrate Meskel, Pray for Peace Amid Conflict

Thousands gathered at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa for the Demera bonfire ceremony as Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrated Meskel on Sept. 27. Priests, deacons and Sunday School students processed with chants and songs. Archbishops, senior government officials and diplomats attended. Meskel, inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2013, commemorates the discovery of the True Cross. Patriarch Abune Mathias said the primary message of the Cross is to establish peace and unity, forgiveness and reconciliation. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for national unity, saying Meskel has a family and social color as families come together and the neighborhood gathers. Culture and Sport Minister Shewit Shanka said Ethiopia has made notable development gains through hard work and the collective will of its people. Celebrations came amid renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia following the Pretoria accord that ended the 2020-2022 conflict. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the UN is particularly troubled by reports of the use of drones as well as incidents of harm to civilians. The Ethiopian National Defense Force said 272 TPLF fighters were killed after a failed offensive in North Wollo. The African Union called for restraint and resumption of talks. One celebrant's flight to Tigray was canceled; he worried about his elderly mother needing medication. Contested: none found.