Kidane Mehret Church, Jerusalem


The Kidane Mehret Church in Jerusalem is part of the Debre Genet monastery, whose name means "Monastery of Paradise".
The monastery and its church belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. It is one of two Ethiopian monasteries in Jerusalem, the other one being Deir es-Sultan, which is part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre complex.

Etymology

Kidane Mehret is a Ge'ez phrase meaning Covenant of Mercy. It refers to the Ethiopic tradition that Jesus promised his mother that he would forgive the sins of those who sought her intercession.
The feast of Our Lady of the Covenant of Mercy is celebrated on 16 Yekatit, corresponding at present to 24 February except in leap years, when it corresponds to 25 February, since in the Ethiopian calendar the extra day is inserted in what for the Gregorian calendar is the preceding month of September.

History

used war booty won in his conflict with the Khedivate of Egypt to purchase land to the south of the Old City of Jerusalem in 1888. The next year Yohannes died in battle and was followed by Emperor Menelik II. The church was inaugurated in 1893.

Description

The Kidane Mehret Church in Jerusalem is round in shape with a dome of some 30 metres in height.
As in most Ethiopian churches, the interior consists of three concentric rings. In the centre is the square meqdes, "sanctuary", also called the qiddiste qiddusan, "holy of holies", which only priests and deacons may enter and which contains the tabot, the tablet over which the Eucharist is celebrated. Around this is the circular part known as qiddist, "holy", intended for those able to receive holy communion. The outer circular ring, the qne mahlet is for the cantors and is accessible by the faithful generally.

Another Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem

The Debre Genet monastery is not the only one in Jerusalem with Ethiopian monks. On the roof of the Chapel of Saint Helena of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Ethiopian monks have possession since 1850 of the rudimentary monastery called Deir es-Sultan and of two associated chapels since 1970. Ownership is a subject of dispute between the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.