Ethiopic Bible Selections - Pages 16 and 17

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These miniatures depict the nativity or birth of Christ (left) and the adoration of the magi (right). The nativity scene presents most of the details of the birth of Christ as related in the Gospel of Luke. At the top, the focus is the Christ child, who is surrounded by Mary, three angels and just the heads of a calf and an ox. In the lower half of the picture, a seated Virgin Mary holds the Christ child. The representation of a tender mother embracing her newborn child is a western interpretation and marks a clear departure from miniatures in the Oriental tradition. To her left stand Salome, carrying a clay pot, and Joseph, who holds his chin in a gesture of amazement at the events taking place. At the bottom right a shepherd offers the sacrifice of two sheep.

The right hand illustration shows the Virgin Mary sitting on a dais: Christ holds one hand out but is looking away from the three wise men or kings, who are lined up on the left. The gifts being offered are ostrich eggs, the leading king's being painted gold and the other two white.

The Ethiopian Church, like the other Oriental Orthodox churches, does not celebrate the birth of Jesus separately from his revelation as the son of God marked on the feast day of Epiphany. In the early church the birth of Jesus as a man and his revelation as the son of God to the world (represented by the three Magi or wise men) were celebrated at Epiphany which fell on the 6th or 7th January. When the western church created the feast of Christmas on 25th December as the day Jesus was born, the Oriental churches continued to mark only the feast of Epiphany. The difference between celebrating December 25th and January 6th is not one of different calendars, but a question of theology. The emphasis differs in marking Christ's birth as man at Christmas and his revelation to humanity as the Son of God at Epiphany. This revelation was confirmed at His baptism in the River Jordan when a voice was heard saying "This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased." For this reason the Oriental Orthodox churches bless water after the celebration of the liturgy on the feast of Epiphany.

Listen to a traditional Ethiopian Epiphany hymn.