Abba Garima Monastery
Encyclopedia
Abba Garima Monastery is an Ethiopian Orthodox monastery, located some 5 kilometres east of Adwa
, in the Mehakelegnaw Zone
of the Tigray Region
of northern Ethiopia
. Founded in the sixth century by one of the Nine Saints
, Abba Garima and built by King
Gabra Masqal (also Gebre Meskel), it became known for its early manuscript copy of the gospels and its treasury.
by Abba Pantaleon. King Gabra Masqal built for him a monastery near Adwa, where he lived for some 20 years performing miracles and healing the sick. Above the monastery on a hill is a spring where Abba Garima is said to have spat on the spot and started a life form.
The monastery was attacked twice during its history, once by Queen Gudit
in the 10th century and a second time in the 1530s by Imam
Ahmad Gragn, a Moslem who attacked the monastery with his Turkish muskets.
The first European recorded to have visited the monastery in modern times was Henry Salt
, who visited it on 14 September 1805. He was told at the time that the building had been built by Gabra Masqal in 560.
In around 1872 or 1873, Emperor Tekle Giyorgis II of Ethiopia
was blinded, and imprisoned with his brother and mother at the Abba Garima Monastery, where he died or was executed some years later.
In 1896, the monastery proved an important location during the Italian invasion when Menelik II spotted the advancing troops from the monastery, which contributed to his decisive victory
over the Italians. The following year, Ras Alula died at Abba Garima after being wounded in a battle with his old rival, Ras Hagos of Hamasien
. His tomb is located at the rear of the main church.
Beatrice Playne visited the monastery around 1950, and in found that the church had burned down twenty years prior and had been rebuilt before her arrival. Nevertheless, she was shown a number of prized possessions which were centuries old, including a number of illuminated manuscripts "whose ornamental headings struck me as Syrian in style." The last treasured item he was shown was "an ancient spring which, they said, had never failed since the beginning of the world."
The monastery is surrounded by rugged cliffs which are covered with cactus
and shrubs. The roofs of the monastery are painted green, and the window frames and doors are painted green, red and yellow. The monastery consists of three churches, about fifteen square and circular cells in which the monks live and a notable treasury. The entrance to the treasury is a stone portal with steps and inside the round building is a glass cabinet as wide as the room. They contain an extensive collection of crowns, helmuts, crosses, chalice
s and manuscripts and other treasures from the various emperors and religious figures of Ethiopia dating back to the monastery's founder, Gabra Masqal whose silver cross with gold inlays remains, as does the crown of Zara Yaqob
(1399–1468). There are also other items such as a pair of cow horns embedded in the wall, and leather bible satchels for the monks to preach in nearby villages.
The library of the monastery is extensive and includes a detailed history of the early history by a priest named Hawi. The most important though is the illuminated Gospel of Abba Garima
which is stored in a glass case. According to legend, Abbu Garima himself wrote the gospels on 350 pages on thick goat's vellum in the Ge'ez language
and illuminated the first 12 pages on both volumes. Most outside scholars and scientists have previously agreed that the gospels, based on his teachings, were written centuries after his death, probably by priests in the tenth century. However recent radiocarbon dating carried out at Oxford University has suggested a date between AD 330 and AD 650, meaning they were possibly created by Abba Garima. If so they are the earliest surviving Christian illuminated manuscripts. The book is believed to have taken to India
to be published and has been translated into Portuguese
.
Adwa
Adwa is a market town in northern Ethiopia, and best known as the community closest to the decisive Battle of Adowa fought in 1896 with Italian troops. Notably, Ethiopian soldiers won the battle, thus being the only African nation to thwart European colonialism...
, in the Mehakelegnaw Zone
Mehakelegnaw Zone
Mehakelegnaw is a Zone in the Ethiopian Region of Tigray. Mehakelegnaw is bordered on the east by Misraqawi , on the south by Debubawi , on the west by Mirabawi and on the north by Eritrea...
of the Tigray Region
Tigray Region
Tigray Region is the northernmost of the nine ethnic regions of Ethiopia containing the homeland of the Tigray people. It was formerly known as Region 1...
of northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Founded in the sixth century by one of the Nine Saints
Nine Saints
The Nine Saints were a group of missionaries who were important in the initial growth of Christianity in what is now Ethiopia during the late 5th century. Their names were Abba Aftse, Abba Alef, Abba Aragawi, Abba Garima , Abba Guba, Abba Liqanos, Abba Pantelewon, Abba Sehma, and Abba Yem’ata...
, Abba Garima and built by King
Kings of Axum
-Kings during the zenith of the Kingdom of Axum:The following based on S.C. Munro-Hay, Aksum , pp. 67f-Later kings:The following list of rulers between 600-900 is based on E. A...
Gabra Masqal (also Gebre Meskel), it became known for its early manuscript copy of the gospels and its treasury.
History
The namesake of the monastery, Abba Garima is believed to have been a Byzantine royal with healing powers who was summoned to AxumAxum
Axum or Aksum is a city in northern Ethiopia which was the original capital of the eponymous kingdom of Axum. Population 56,500 . Axum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 BC into the 10th century...
by Abba Pantaleon. King Gabra Masqal built for him a monastery near Adwa, where he lived for some 20 years performing miracles and healing the sick. Above the monastery on a hill is a spring where Abba Garima is said to have spat on the spot and started a life form.
The monastery was attacked twice during its history, once by Queen Gudit
Gudit
Gudit is a semi-legendary, non-Christian, Beta Israel, queen who laid waste to Axum and its countryside, destroyed churches and monuments, and attempted to exterminate the members of the ruling Axumite dynasty...
in the 10th century and a second time in the 1530s by Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Ahmad Gragn, a Moslem who attacked the monastery with his Turkish muskets.
The first European recorded to have visited the monastery in modern times was Henry Salt
Henry Salt (Egyptologist)
Henry Salt was an English artist, traveller, diplomat, and Egyptologist.-Biography:Salt, the son of a physician, was born in Lichfield. He trained as a portrait painter, first in Lichfield and then in London under Joseph Farington and John Hoppner. In 1802 he was appointed secretary and...
, who visited it on 14 September 1805. He was told at the time that the building had been built by Gabra Masqal in 560.
In around 1872 or 1873, Emperor Tekle Giyorgis II of Ethiopia
Tekle Giyorgis II of Ethiopia
Tekle Giyorgis II was of Ethiopia from 1868 to 1872....
was blinded, and imprisoned with his brother and mother at the Abba Garima Monastery, where he died or was executed some years later.
In 1896, the monastery proved an important location during the Italian invasion when Menelik II spotted the advancing troops from the monastery, which contributed to his decisive victory
Battle of Adowa
The Battle of Adwa was fought on 1 March 1896 between Ethiopia and Italy near the town of Adwa, Ethiopia, in Tigray...
over the Italians. The following year, Ras Alula died at Abba Garima after being wounded in a battle with his old rival, Ras Hagos of Hamasien
Hamasien
Hamasien was the name of an histoical province including and surrounding Asmara, now part of modern Eritrea. The region has been divided and distributed amongst the modern Maekel, Debub, Northern Red Sea, Gash-Barka and Anseba regions....
. His tomb is located at the rear of the main church.
Beatrice Playne visited the monastery around 1950, and in found that the church had burned down twenty years prior and had been rebuilt before her arrival. Nevertheless, she was shown a number of prized possessions which were centuries old, including a number of illuminated manuscripts "whose ornamental headings struck me as Syrian in style." The last treasured item he was shown was "an ancient spring which, they said, had never failed since the beginning of the world."
Layout and artifacts
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
and shrubs. The roofs of the monastery are painted green, and the window frames and doors are painted green, red and yellow. The monastery consists of three churches, about fifteen square and circular cells in which the monks live and a notable treasury. The entrance to the treasury is a stone portal with steps and inside the round building is a glass cabinet as wide as the room. They contain an extensive collection of crowns, helmuts, crosses, chalice
Chalice (cup)
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for drinking during a ceremony.-Christian:...
s and manuscripts and other treasures from the various emperors and religious figures of Ethiopia dating back to the monastery's founder, Gabra Masqal whose silver cross with gold inlays remains, as does the crown of Zara Yaqob
Zara Yaqob
Zar'a Ya`qob or Zera Yacob was of Ethiopia , and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
(1399–1468). There are also other items such as a pair of cow horns embedded in the wall, and leather bible satchels for the monks to preach in nearby villages.
The library of the monastery is extensive and includes a detailed history of the early history by a priest named Hawi. The most important though is the illuminated Gospel of Abba Garima
Garima Gospels
The Garima Gospels are believed to be "the world’s earliest illustrated Christian manuscript" and the oldest surviving Ethiopian manuscript of any kind.The Gospels are housed in Ethiopia's Abba Garima Monastery. They have never left the monastery...
which is stored in a glass case. According to legend, Abbu Garima himself wrote the gospels on 350 pages on thick goat's vellum in the Ge'ez language
Ge'ez language
Ge'ez is an ancient South Semitic language that developed in the northern region of Ethiopia and southern Eritrea in the Horn of Africa...
and illuminated the first 12 pages on both volumes. Most outside scholars and scientists have previously agreed that the gospels, based on his teachings, were written centuries after his death, probably by priests in the tenth century. However recent radiocarbon dating carried out at Oxford University has suggested a date between AD 330 and AD 650, meaning they were possibly created by Abba Garima. If so they are the earliest surviving Christian illuminated manuscripts. The book is believed to have taken to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to be published and has been translated into Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
.