Ethiopia - Lalibela-Yemerehne Kirstos Cave Church

The Bilbilla Church Circuit is 30 km north of Lalibela.  Endy, my tour guide, organized a delightful driver with a Toyota 4x4 crew cab truck to take us the 42 km to the Axumite cave church of Yemrehana Kristos.  Bradt describes 3 other medieval church’s but I was content with just going to the one. I think the very exciting donkey ride tired me out.    Just as Bradt described the rental for a 4x4 necessary for the trip given the rough unsaved roads was $65.  The hike to the churches was described as 20 minutes. This was also true for Kristos. George and Laura Bush visited this church.

Yemrehanna Kristos church is at an altitude of 2700 feet and the gentle hike up was still a slog in the heat but well worth it. I rode the donkey for a stretch, the poor thing screaming at his owner ,”He’s too heavy.”  Meanwhile the cinch wasn’t tight enough for my weight and another big man came to the owners rescue as the donkey threatened to suicide over the side of the cliff rather than carry the fat man any further. I was laughing too hard but would recommend this ride up the mountain to anyone not 6 foot tall and over 200 lbs.  The donkey told me he had a contract and it said 150 lbs and he was going to be speaking to the Ethiopian Donkey Union.  

The church architecture is an example of Axumite alternating layers of wood and granite faced with white gypsum.  Inside the church there was this beautiful wood interior like the original door. The church is a thousand years older than the rock hewn churches. It dates from the 11 th century. Endy was glad I had my ‘Mountain Coop headlamp’ as he used this to point out the amazing inlaid and coffer ceiling.  There were even paintings of elephants in the ceiling.   Cruciform carved windows and the etched door were particularly intriguing. The priest showed us a remarkable Coptic gold cross.

St. George , martyred in 303 is a great saint in Ethiopia. Originally from Capadocia, he is also called the victory bearer. As a young Roman soldier under pagan Roman Emperor Diocletian he was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ brief years before Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the empire. He is most commonly depicted as spearing a dragon/serpent/crocodile from atop his white steed. The story goes this water creature prevented the townspeople from getting their water so they began to sacrifice virgins. When the princess was to be sacrificed St. George appeared and slay the dragon.  

Outside the cave church there was the other building where the Zagwe emperor a predecessor of King Lalibela was said to live for a time. It’s more a storage area now but shows a large room cool in the heat of the day.  Behind the church is an area where many skeletons have rested sometimes for hundreds of years. People from as far as Egypt wanted to buried there near the holy church their bodies were transported here, their  bodies wrapped in skins.  

There is a large area of cave space with drums and cymbals used for groups chanting.  There is also a tomb of the king there covered in colourful canopy.  

Outside there was a pool where ‘holy water’ dripped off the cave roof.