Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches

Overview

The Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela are eleven medieval monolithic churches carved from solid volcanic rock in the highlands of Ethiopia. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, they were created, according to Ethiopian Orthodox tradition, as a "New Jerusalem" at a time when Muslim conquests had made pilgrimage to Jerusalem difficult. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.

Present

The Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela are administered jointly by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian government's Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage. Daily services continue in each of the eleven churches, sustaining a tradition of worship more than 800 years old. During the festivals of Timkat and Genna the site draws tens of thousands of pilgrims.

Conservation is an ongoing concern. The soft volcanic rock erodes under rain and foot traffic, and in the 1990s and 2000s protective shelters were built over several of the churches. The shelters have been criticized for their industrial appearance, but are regarded as necessary to slow the deterioration.

Religious Significance

Lalibela is one of the holiest sites in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe Dynasty ruled from approximately 1181 to 1221 CE. According to tradition, he was guided by a divine vision to build a New Jerusalem in Ethiopia, complete with symbolic replicas of holy sites. The churches are arranged to mirror the geography of Jerusalem: a stream running through the site is named the River Jordan (Yordanos), the church of Bet Golgotha holds a replica of Christ's tomb, and nearby hills represent Mount Tabor and the Mount of Olives. Ethiopian Christians believe angels assisted in the carving, accounting for how the churches were completed in 24 years.

The churches remain in daily use, and Lalibela is a major center of pilgrimage. Its most important observances are Timkat and Genna. Timkat, the Ethiopian feast of Epiphany marking the baptism of Jesus, falls in January, when priests carry tabot, replicas of the Ark of the Covenant, in procession to water. Genna, Ethiopian Christmas on January 7, fills the churches with white-robed worshippers for ceremonies that last through the night.

History & Structure

The Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela were carved from the top down: workers first cut trenches around large blocks of red volcanic rock, then hollowed out the interiors. The work required removing an estimated 100,000 cubic meters of stone.

The eleven churches fall into two main groups. The Northern Group includes Bet Medhane Alem (House of the Savior), Bet Maryam (House of Mary), Bet Golgotha, which holds the tomb of King Lalibela, and the churches of Bet Mikael and Bet Denagel. The Southern Group comprises Bet Gabriel-Rafael, which may once have served as a royal residence, along with Bet Mercoreos, Bet Amanuel, and Bet Abba Libanos. Standing apart is Bet Giyorgis (Church of Saint George), the best-preserved of the eleven, carved in the shape of a Greek cross and set in a pit about 25 meters deep. Underground tunnels and trenches connect many of the churches.

Lalibela was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

Resources

• UNESCO: Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela
• Book: Ancient Churches of Ethiopia: Fourth–Fourteenth Centuries by David W. Phillipson (2009).