Lalibela. The Church of Mystery.

How was it carved?

The most lingering thought is that they were hewn under the orders of King Lalibela, emperor of Ethiopia during the late 12th and early 13th Centuries, who is said to have visited Jerusalem in 1187 BC just before the Holy City fell to Muslim forces.

King Lalibela built these churches around Ethiopia’s own stretch of the Jordan River, his intent being to welcome Christians to a ‘New Jerusalem’.

‘Slender paths and tunnels led me from church to church, but one was set apart; of the 11 houses of worship in the complex, Biete Giyorgis, a good long stone’s throw from the main warren of churches, was the most memorable.

Its cruciform shape, immaculately buried in gently sloping rock, is topped with an etched Coptic cross that can only be seen from above. Its sheer walls have been tanned bronze over the ages, and plunge 40m into the surrounding chasm. Despite standing open to the elements, the structure is immaculately preserved, wearing its nine centuries with grace.’ Source: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20170817-ethiopias-miraculous-underground-churches

It is still not known exactly how these churches came to be.

“But as I emerged from the carved channel that led to Biete Giyorgis, I realized it didn’t matter how the churches came to be. Far below, a new wave of visitors was passing through the church’s towering stone entryways, lintels that have been worn smooth by the footfall of centuries.

They descended into the Earth, disappearing into the darkness cast by the monoliths and emerging again, having passed through the structures, to climb back up towards the sunlight. At the edge of the crevices, young men helped elderly worshipers navigate the sloping trails. I lingered for several minutes to watch the seemingly never-ending stream of pilgrims return above ground. They believed, and that was enough. Source: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20170817-ethiopias-miraculous-underground-churches

Jo Ann Harris is an author, parent, book devotee, writer, copywriter, and film fanatic. She is an autodidact who learns about everything and rows her own boat. She grew up and worked in Atlanta, Georgia and lived there sixty years. She writes articles about love, hope, personal life stories, advice and poems. She is a published author with an article in Woman’s World magazine in October, 2017.