Ethiopia's Meskel Festival Celebrated in Addis Ababa Amid Renewed Fighting in the North

Thousands of people gathered in Addis Ababa's Meskel Square on Saturday evening to celebrate the Orthodox Christian festival of Meskel, singing religious hymns for hours around a large ceremonial bonfire, according to a report from RFI.

The celebration, one of Ethiopia's major religious and cultural events, came as fighting resumed in the north of the country, casting a shadow over what the report described as a suspended, celebratory moment for those in attendance.

The Meskel festival, which commemorates the discovery of what adherents of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church believe to be the True Cross, traditionally draws large crowds to the square for a ceremony culminating in the lighting of a large bonfire, known locally as a "demera."

Ethiopia's northern regions, including Tigray, have experienced repeated cycles of conflict and fragile peace in recent years. The report did not provide further detail on the specific parties or locations involved in the renewed fighting.

The juxtaposition of a major religious celebration in the capital with renewed conflict elsewhere in the country reflects the uneven nature of peace across different parts of Ethiopia since a 2022 peace agreement aimed at ending fighting in Tigray.