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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