Holy Water Shower

With the annual coming of the Ethiopian Epiphany (Timket) commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ, the Christians in the country gather at a water place with the priests making small dams out of rivers around their locality during Ketera-the eve of the epiphany. After the priests along with their deacons have prayed on the holy water, the people are sprayed with the water for the purity of their souls from the sins committed. Here is seen Abune Mathias, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, spraying the holy water on the congregation that gathered at Jan Meda- the biggest spot of Timket celebration in the city. The people are seen in huge numbers seeking to be touched with the holy water sprayed by the patriarch together with his benediction.