Fasika (Easter)
Fasiga (Easter) is one of the greatest festivals of Ethiopian people, celebrated after
55 days severe Lent fasting.
Orthodox Christians do not eat meat, diary products or breakfast for the whole
55 days. The fist meal of the day is taken after 3 p.m. (9 o'clock in the
afternoon Ethiopian time) during the fasting days, except Saturdays and Sundays,
where a breakfast is allowed after the morning service.
On Easter eve people celebrate and go to church with candles
which are lit during a colorful Easter Mass service which begins at about 6
p.m. (12 o'clock in the evening Ethiopian time) and ends at about 2 a.m. (8
o'clock after mid-night Ethiopian time). Everyone goes home to break the fast
with the meat of chicken or lamb, slaughtered the previous night after 6 p.m.,
accompanied with Injera and traditional drinks (i.e. Tella or Tej). Like
Christmas, Easter is also a day of family re-union, an expression of good wishes
with exchange of gifts (i.e. lamb, goat or loaf of bread).
Easter always takes place in glorious weather and enormous effort is put into making
the occasion memorable.
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