Urael Church

These are worshippers outside Urael Church, near central Addis. I don't know why they wait outside the gates to the church property and pray before going in. I think today is just a usual Sunday. Each of the "important" churches in Addis has its own day each month. That day sees a huge increase in followers visiting that particular church.

Ethiopia's Orthodox Church dates from the fourth century AD. It separated from the Egyptian Orthodox Church in 1959. Co-existing with Judaism and Islam for centuries, the religions have adopted more of each others traits than elsewhere. Interestingly, the religions seem to get along fairly well - Christians and Muslims, that is. Almost all Ethiopian Jews have emigrated to Israel.