Each year on September 27 (or the 28th in a leap year), Addis Ababa becomes the center of one of Ethiopia’s most spectacular cultural celebrations: Meskel, the Feast of the True Cross. Thousands gather at Meskel Square, where a towering bonfire called the Demera is lit by the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, in a tradition rooted in a 4th-century legend of Empress Helena’s discovery of the True Cross.
The festival begins with vibrant processions in the afternoon, featuring students, clergy, and faithful in colorful garb, chanting hymns and singing traditional songs that echo across the square. The bonfire is decorated with yellow Meskel flowers (Adey Abeba), symbolic daisies that bloom at the end of the rainy season and add a seasonal charm to the celebration.
As evening falls and the Demera is set ablaze, attendees circle the fire in jubilant chants and dances, believing the flames and smoke carry spiritual significance. After the fire burns out, many collect charcoal to imprint a cross-shaped mark on their foreheads, symbolizing purification, forgiveness, and cultural identity.
Meskel is not only a deeply religious festival—it also marks the end of the rainy season and the harvest period. It reinforces familial bonds, community unity, and national identity, with many Ethiopians returning to their villages to celebrate with loved ones.
In 2013, UNESCO recognized the Meskel Festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, calling attention to its vibrant traditions and its significance as a living cultural experience
