As they have done for hundreds of years on the Orthodox Easter weekend, priests wrapped in traditional white robes read the Bible by candlelight on Saturday evening in the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela in northern Ethiopia. The ancient ritual has been a tourist draw in recent years. Tens of thousands of visitors from around Ethiopia and abroad usually come to Lalibela, home to a UNESCO World Heritage site of 12th and 13th century monolithic churches, to celebrate and witness the most important holiday in the Orthodox calendar. Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims attend the Easter Eve celebration at the St. Mary Rock-Hewn church in Lalibela, Ethiopia, May 1, 2021. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri But they were missing this year. Even many local worshippers stayed home, reflecting the impact of th...
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