The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-17
ST. MICHAEL or AsYsslNIA.
Strange Ceremonies with which He IL
Honored by the EthioPiaas.

the celebration of ST Michael's day IN
Abyssinia- St Michael is the patron
saint OF the empire, and according to
the people and their traditions, written
on parchment and stored in the archives,
St Michael was an Abyssinian general
He is pictured on a fiery steed, holding
IN his hand a smoking gun. Other pic
lures represent him in battle; a terri.
bic encounter, in which the enemy
bites the dust An inscription beneath
records this particular engagement
1 Our calendar" says the correspond
ent, merely mentioning him as an or
binary saint, II was difficult TO be-
lieve that the Philippians had come
I to celebrate this dag as a ma
/ tional festival If we had not met
on our morning walk a procession of
I peasants, traups, cripples, beggars ard
lepers before the doors of the Church
of the Saviour (Medani Allem). Here
/ there was generous bestowal of aims,
/ yet all insufficient TO those whose ap-
/ petires had been sharpened by long
fasting. All these famished beings
holding out a hand, screaming, strug-
Cling, rolling in the dust IN their eager
ness to obtain an extra ration. The
/ pancakes. which represent Abyssinian
bread, were snatched and devoured
upon the instant A distribution of
! blows from the baton more abundant
even than that of the bread, for the po-
lice are not at allsparing in this regard,
tempered the ardor of the more desper-
ate, the miserable lot bowling under
the blows which fell upon their bare
heads After the distribution of the
bread and the blows of the cudgel the
ground, like that of a battle, was
strewn with rags, while blood flowed
by this time from the bruised limbs OF
these unfortunates. This stormy fray
was the signal for the commencement
of the festivities, all in honor of St
Michael
At an early hour the Abyssinian men
md women, more devout than usual,
srt out toward the little church of st.
Michael, situated in the Ghenya Biet,
Or treasure house, which is at the
,ame time the magazine and depot of
supplies. This is the chapel of the pal
ace. The chief of the Ghenya Biet is
at once the Encouragement and the
.urate of the principal church. About
$50 there is firing of guns from the
earas Magala, which is the grand city
aall. A motley crowd arrayed in white
robes striped with crimson fills the
Enclosure. The Mussulmans, Hanaris,
Calais and Arabs, urged by GU
riosity, swell the throng. Under
the brilliant sun this assem- lage is
most picturesque, augmented as it is by
the groups of peddlers and women
dressed in robes of red and blue, orna-
mented with an embroidered cross up
on the breast-a costume which recalls
the fact that ii is long since the Portu-
guese spassed here. All at once the
note of trumpet, loud and solemn,
echoes through space. 1t is always the
same note, but long and piercing. AS
for the trumpets, they are exactly like
those that herald the arrival of
Rhadames, in Verdis opera Aida"
Then came the soldiers, their rifles on
thlir shoulders, then the deacons, then
the priests The lower clergy wear mp
on the head a high turban of white
muslin. They hold in the hand rattle
and the inevitable crutch The
priests of high rank are of
Dalmatia. the most exalted lalsllal
wears habit resembling that of the
Russian priests. A dlgnitary-his fore
head adorned with a golden tiara
whose robe is much like that of Euro
pean women, escorts the talbot, the sa-
cred wood OF the high altar. the ark of
the Jews. Immense parasols of red and
purple. bordered and tufted with vari-
Gus colors, sway above this procession.
dominating the multicolored silk UNI
brellas of the priests. Two banners,
resembling those carried in our process
sions. record the valiant deeds of the
illustrious st. Michael
While the high priests range them
selves along the wall of the Ghenya
Biet, waving their fans toward the
ia bot, the lower clergy begin a series Of
grotesque dances, which appear any
thing but religious. Another fusilade
is fred while the women give vent 10
strange cries which sound like the
whistle OF a locomotive, but which,
among these natives, are an indication
of enthusiastic delight. Then begins
slow Ahyssinian chant. ringing, nasal.
and barbaric. accompanied by a noise
of ratties, while the dance Of the priests
continues more rhythmic and Animal
ed. These cOntortions, executed with
smiles, are supplemented by the clap
ping OF hands with the effect of casta-
nets. Finally the dance becomes more
rapid. and we take part in a veritable
ouadrille in which there is nothing edi-
lying 70 Europeans accustomed 20 the
grave ceremonies Of their country. This
dane marks the end of the ceremony.
The trumpets of Aida resound once
more, the Ethiopian colors are hoisted
above the Ghenya Biet. and the guns
discharge another vollev, dangerous %
the eyes Of the passersby: the women
recomnence their cries Of distress. and
the procession, priests, banners, filters.
parasols umbrellas, es,orting the
talbot. enters the Gheuva Biet- followed
by the kaleidoscope crowd.
Truly. this barbara exhibition lacked
nothing of the theatre The blazing
tropical sun overhead reminded one Of
an enormous calcium light, while the
square Of the Faras Msgala was a nov
ing mass OF color. II was the first fes-
tival OF any gayetv ct which ] had been
present, the Feast Of the Passover and
others which followed having been in
terrupted By the visitation Of the epi-
denic- Throughout Abvssiniz r.
l!gious festivals take on prefaue &C.
com panimeut OF fantastic whirls and
military evolutions. Il IS inpossio ole 70
describe al that have witnessed. and
! regret 20 add that the spectacle. SO
essentially picturesque, inspired n the