Okay so today I gotta share how I dug into Ethiopian Christianity for that post. Started cuz honestly, I knew like, almost nothing beyond the name. Just heard it’s old and different, ya know? Gotta fill this knowledge gap.
First step, Google time. Typed in “Ethiopian Christianity basics.” Whoa. Info overload. So many articles, websites… felt a bit lost. Needed something solid. Decided to hunt down more specific stuff like “unique practices Ethiopian Church” and “history Ethiopian Christianity.” Started getting better hits.
Sorting Through the Mess
Printed out a bunch of pages – my desk looked like a paper bomb went off. Took my highlighter (yeah, old school) and started marking stuff that made my eyes pop. The “facts” weren’t neatly packaged anywhere; I had to piece them together myself. Kept a notebook handy.
Here’s the hard part: figuring out what’s actually important for someone like me (and probably you) who knows zilch. Can’t list everything, right? Gotta find the top things that make you go “Huh, didn’t know that!” or “That’s wild!” Spent ages comparing notes, scratching my head.
Eventually, I boiled it down. Based on the research rabbit hole I went down, here’s what stood out as must-know stuff:
- The whole “Ark of the Covenant” thing? Yeah, they SERIOUSLY believe they’ve got it. Like, protect it at all costs level serious.
- Super ancient roots. We’re talking dates way back when… think one of the first apostles? Way, way older than Europe adopting Christianity.
- Jewish vibes are strong. Still do circumcision on baby boys (8 days old!), plus some food rules that sound familiar. Sabbath? Important day.
- This guy “King Ezana”? Total game changer way back when – officially made Ethiopia Christian.
- Their own special bible. Some books you won’t find in yours or mine. Extra stories and rules.
- Holy figures are a big deal. Icons everywhere, lots of praying to them.
- Fasting? Man, they do A LOT of it. More days fasting than eating sometimes. Hardcore dedication.
- Monasteries everywhere, tucked on crazy mountain peaks. Dedication to isolation is intense.
- Got their own Pope basically. The “Abune,” big boss religious guy, chosen from local monks, not Rome.
- Tradition is KING. Changed very, very slowly over centuries. Ancient practices still rocking.
Writing it up was actually kinda fun. Tried to keep it simple, no fancy words, just “here’s what I found, here’s why it blew my mind a bit.” The hardest part? Not getting lost in all the history books online! So much detail, had to force myself to stick to the big, impactful points for beginners. Took way longer than I thought, sipping coffee all the while. Glad I did it though – feels good to finally grasp the basics of something so old and unique.
