Festival · Festivals & Events
Fasika (Ethiopian Easter)
Ethiopian Easter follows the Orthodox calendar, usually falling in April or early May, and is preceded by Hudade, the longest fast of the year.
- Best Time
- March to May (date varies)
- Suggested Stay
- 2 to 3 days
- Altitude
- 2,500 m (Lalibela)
- Region
- Festivals & Events
Why We Go
Candle-lit services and celebrations that end the 55-day Lenten fast.
For 55 days Orthodox Christians abstain from meat, dairy and other animal products, eating vegetarian dishes such as lentils and split peas with injera, and taking their first meal only after 3 pm on most days.
On Easter Eve churches fill for an overnight service of prayer, hymns and candles that ends in the early hours. Families then break their fast with chicken, lamb, tella and tej. Holy Week in Lalibela is especially memorable.
Highlights
- Holy Week services among Lalibela’s churches
- The overnight Easter vigil with candles
- Breaking the fast with family feasts
- Celebrations in Axum and Lalibela
Journeys Including Fasika (Ethiopian Easter)
Routes that pass through here
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