A Plunge into the Ancient

The drive from the local airport up to the town of Lalibela was disconcerting even for me, so I can hardly imagine what it was like for those in the group who had never been here before. As I’ve said, it is the height of dry season, but this dry season—on the edge of the drought engulfing eastern Ethiopia—was alarming. Men with teams of oxen plowed desiccated fields, readying them for the rains that are greatly hoped for yet not predicted, while dust devils raced across the basin below the town; the sun the last three days has been obliterated by dust blowing out of the north from storms in the Sahara.

In the meantime, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela remain largely unchanged. This is an ancient city, the first of the mind-boggling structures chipped from solid rock more than 800 years ago. The first churches, some chipped into the rock, others free-standing structures excavated away from the rock, represent—and are revered by Ethiopians—as Jerusalem in Africa. A cluster of rock-hewn administrative buildings that once served the Kingdom of King Lalibela, are protected by moats and secret tunnels through the rock; these buildings were repurposed in the 17^th century as yet more churches.

When I say the place is mind-boggling, that narrative cop-out is for lack of better words; Lalibela is truly one of the places you can only see to believe. Ornate, perfectly symmetrical Axumite and Byzantine designs were—literally—hand-hewn from solid rock 800 years ago using picks and chisels. And they have been continually occupied for all the centuries since, as places of meditation and worship. This morning the subterranean rock chambers of the Savior of the World Church echoed with the call and response of prayer between priest and deacons assembled there. 

Our SCOPE group has spent a day and a half here, shepherded on a pilgrimage of discovery by Sam Walker. I think I can speak for all of us in saying his knowledge, expertise and unique interpretation have added immensely to our experience here. A visit to Lalibela was the perfect end to this trip, and one that will play large as we all process what we have experienced together over the last two weeks.

Tomorrow morning, Mike, Dawn and I will bid the group farewell as they return to Seattle. The three of us will head to the far north of the country to the ancient city of Axum. There we will embark on a six day trek into the mountains of Tigray, to visit a collection of remote monasteries. Along the way, we will sleep and eat in community ‘guest houses,’ and—eventually—we will end up in the city of Mekelle, on the very edge of the escarpment that falls thousands of feet into the Danakil Depression (we hope to see camel caravans coming into Mekelle laden with salt…..)

I will be out of touch for a week or so, but rest assured, there will be more here when I am back to the land of wifi. In the meantime, enjoy the photo montage of Lalibela. There are so few words to describe the wonders, at this late hour I must cheat and leave it to the images.

Cheers!

Photos: Ceremonial drum cached in a rock wall; plowing the dry fields; rock-hewn church; priests leading prayers; Sam emerging from a subterranean tunnel; SCOPE group's last dinner at Jerusalem Hotel; priest with cell phone; St. Giorgys Church; SCOPE group above St. Giorgys; priest and cross inside St. Mary Church; drums stashed in a corner; boys reciting scripture; ceremonial bell made from a column of pryzmatic basalt; Dawn from below; boy reciting scripture from Ge'ez print.