Ethiopia: Root Of Christian Blackness

By the fourth century, the Ethiopian Empire porfessed it's faith in Christianity and adopted the symbol of the cross as the most important sign of it's faith. Large processional crucifixes belong to monasteries and churches, while pilgrims carry pole crucifixes are the property of the priests who let the faithful kiss them for blessings. Some crucifix shows the cross bearing Adam and at the same time Christ who, as a second Adam, founded a new humanity. The rectangular base refers to Adam's grave on Calvary. Some priest also see in this base slab a reference to the legendary Ark of the Covenant which is said to rest in Ethiopia. *Numbers 12-Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Ethiopian wife, for he had married an Ethiopian. The handle represents the hope of rebirth, the resurrection from the grave. It also refers to the belief that the cross of Christ was cut from the Tree of Life. From the Coptic Christians in Egypt (who we recognize as blacks) Ethiopian and Christianity goes back to early Judaism. This is why, besides the common saints of the Christian church such as the archangles, typical Ethiopian saints of the Christian church such as the archangels, are also revered. Take the Ethiopian saint Tekla Haymanot. His portrait, like that of Gabre Manfas Qidolus, can be found in almost every church. Legend has it that the Tekla Haymanot once balanced himself on on leg between two spearheads in order to be able to keep the vow of eternal prayer. When the raised leg had died off after seven years, angels took it before GOD'S THRONE. There upon the LORD presented the saint with three pairs of wings. Also typical for the Chrisitian-Ethiopian art is the representation of Saint George, who mounted on a white horse, is driving his spear into the throat of a dragon. This picture can be found in every church on the left side of the main door to the sancturary. The counter part on the right side is usually an image of the black Virgin and Child. Christiantiy is a good thing so African-Americans should not let right-wing Americans pervert it to the point we forget or reject the ideals of being Christians.