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Timkat

The Ethiopian Epiphany, when the tabots, replicas of the Ark, are carried to water that is blessed for baptism renewal.

Orthodox priests before dancing for 2015 Timkat ceremony, in Jan Meda, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Photo: Jean Rebiffé, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

About Timkat

Timkat, on 11 Terr (19 January in most years), marks the baptism of Christ. Each church's tabot, a replica of the tablet of the Ark of the Covenant, is wrapped in cloth and carried by priests in procession to a nearby pool or river, where the faithful camp overnight. At dawn the water is blessed and sprinkled on the crowd, or people step in, and it is held to renew their baptism and to be a source of health. The tabot normally stays hidden within the church, and only the priests may see it. The most famous celebration is at Gondar, where the royal pool is filled for the occasion.

Also part of it, and being written: Timkat (The festival.), Tabot (The sacred replica of the Ark.).

About this page

Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Timkat" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family, and are described as belief and practice. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

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