WINTER SOLSTICE COMMEMORATIONS
Between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox the Ethiophile Chronicles will acknowledge stalwarts and
events. A few are listed below.
Event: Emancipation Proclamation
Date: January 1, 1808
Location: United States of America
Event: The Construction of Genneta Yesus
Date: January 1622
Location: Ethiopia
On this date, the international slave
trade was abolished. President
Lincoln signed Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves in rebel
states with exception of thirteen
parishes (including New Orleans)
in Louisiana, forty-eight counties
in West Virginia, seven counties (including Norfolk) in Eastern Virginia.
The construction of Genneta Yesus (“Paradise of Jesus”)
was finished and the church was dedicated to Emperor Susenyos (1607-1632) on January 1622. The stone
church was built by the Portuguese Jesuit Per`o Pais.
In his 19 years stay in Ethiopia, he learned Ge’ez and
Amharic, mastered Ethiopian customs, helped to the
excommunication of Ethiopia by
the Abuna, converted Emperors Za Dengel and Susenyos
to Catholics, and established a
Jesuit center in Gorgora. Upon
Susenyos’ death, the emperor
was buried in Genneta Yesus.
Event: Emperor Tewodros II Coronation
Date of Birth: February 10, 1855
Born Kassa Hailu, Tewodros II was
crowned king of kings of Ethiopia after he
defeated the last important dejazmach
of the Zamana Masafent. Taking the regal
name of Tewodros I (ruled from 1412-1413), the new emperor laid claim national
myth of Tewodros I, who again and again
redistributed land to the poor and who
became to be know as “hidden Mandi”
who would return to bring justice to the
people.
Date: February 15, 1962
Transition to ancestral realm of
Empress Menen
Asfaw.
Event: The Battle of Adowa
Date: March 2, 1896
Location: Adowa, Ethiopia
Most European powers in the late 19th century
were determined to secure territories in Africa. Italy was focusing its desires on particularly Ethiopia.
The Treaty of Uccialli was negotiated between Ethiopia and Italy in 1890. Two copies, one in Amharic
and one in Italian, were prepared. On the Italian version of the treaty, Francesco Crispi,
prime minister of Italy, announced to all European nations that Ethiopia had become
a territory belonging to Italy. On the Amharic version, it gave Menelik II the right
to ask Italy for help in times of need, but it didn’t say anything about Ethiopia
becoming a territory of Italy. When Menelik II discovered the misunderstanding, he
immediately wrote to Britain’s Queen Victoria, to the ruler of Germany, and to the
president of France insisting that Ethiopia was still an independent nation. In 1893,
Menelik II denounced the treaty and by 1895 Ethiopia and Italy were are war. And it
was on this month in 1896 that Menelik’s troops crushed the Italian army at Adowa,
Ethiopia. Later, Italy did recognize Ethiopia as an independent nation.
Please visit our facebook or DARC blog page for
your daily bread. ~Fiqir Bandinet.
Ethiophile Chronicles...
24 winter solstice 2014/15
Magazine / September 2012
Magazine / September 2012
winter solstice 2014/15
25