News from the Orient - January 23, 2026

In this week’s news from the Eastern Churches, produced in collaboration with L’Œuvre d’Orient, we go to the Ethiopia and Eritrea, where Christians are commemorating the Epiphany and the baptism of Christ.

This Monday, January 19, thousands of Christians in Ethiopia and Eritrea celebrated Timkat, one of the most important feasts of the year.

Timkat commemorates the Epiphany and the baptism of Christ. Across the country, priests lead their churches in procession, dressed in colorful garments. On their heads, they carry the Tabot—replicas of the Tablets of the Law which are kept in every church. They are always wrapped in cloth, as no one is allowed to see them directly.

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The procession heads toward a body of water, which is then blessed. Worshippers are sprinkled with holy water, and some fully immerse themselves in it to renew their baptism.

It’s a celebration so unique that Timkat has been classified as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2019. An age-old Christian tradition that is still very much alive.

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