Above: This photo, which was taken by Chester Higgins,
appeared on page A27 in the New York Times on Monday, 20
April. It shows the Easter Services at the Holy Trinity Ethiopian
Orthodox Church in Morris Heights section of the South Bronx on
176th Street, two blocks west of University Avenue.
Related: Did you know? Ethiopia’s Belated Easter Celebration (Time)
Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter anywhere from a week to two weeks after the western Church (sometimes, they occur at the same time, due to the vagaries of the Eastern Orthodox calendar, which Ethiopians follows). Fasika (Easter) follows eight weeks of fasting from meat and dairy. On Easter Eve, Ethiopian Christians participate in an hours-long church service that ends around 3 a.m., after which they break their fast and celebrate the risen Christ. Read more.
Related: Ethiopian community celebrates Easter
The holiday, called Fasika, is celebrated in Orthodox churches throughout the country. Preceded by an intense 56-day period of fasting, the religious ceremony is celebrated through music and dance, followed by symbolic animal sacrifices and food and drink. Read more.
