OCTOBER — A MONTH OF ETHIOPIAN REMEMBRANCE FOR THE RASTAFARI FAMILY

OCTOBER — A MONTH OF ETHIOPIAN REMEMBRANCE FOR THE RASTAFARI FAMILY

🇪🇹 OCTOBER — A MONTH OF ETHIOPIAN REMEMBRANCE FOR THE RASTAFARI FAMILY 🇪🇹

As we move through the month of October, there are several important moments in Ethiopian history and tradition that the Rastafari family can remember, acknowledge, and reason upon.

October 1 — Gishen Debre Kerbe and the Holy Cross: In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, Meskerem 21 commemorates the tradition of a portion of the True Cross being brought to Ethiopia and preserved at Gishen Debre Kerbe, one of Ethiopia’s most sacred places. Coming immediately after the great celebration of Meskel in September, it reminds us of Ethiopia’s ancient Christian heritage and devotion to the Cross of Christ.

October 3, 1935 — The Fascist invasion of Ethiopia: On this day Mussolini’s Italy invaded sovereign Ethiopia, beginning one of the defining struggles of the reign of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I. Ethiopia’s resistance became an international symbol of African sovereignty and resistance to colonial aggression. The crisis eventually carried His Majesty before the League of Nations, where in 1936 he appealed to the conscience of the world and warned that the destruction of collective security would ultimately threaten all nations.

October 1–3, 1963 — His Majesty’s State Visit to the United States: Almost three decades after the invasion, H.I.M. Haile Selassie I visited the United States as the internationally recognized Emperor of an independent Ethiopia. His diplomatic work during this period belongs to the broader history of Ethiopia’s role in African unity, international cooperation, peace, and collective security.

October is also part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tsege season, a period especially associated with remembrance of the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt. Throughout the month the Ethiopian Church also commemorates apostles and Ethiopian saints, including St. Thomas, Abuna Aragawi of the Nine Saints, and St. Stephen the First Martyr.

For Rastafari, these occasions give us an opportunity to remember more than dates. We can reason upon Ethiopia’s ancient Christian inheritance, African sovereignty, resistance to colonial domination, the sacrifices of the Ethiopian people, and the life and international witness of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I.

So throughout October, let us remember Ethiopia in both her spiritual and historical dimensions—the ancient faith, the Cross, the struggle against Fascism, the defense of sovereignty, and the continuing responsibility to pursue peace, justice, unity, and the welfare of humanity.

🇪🇹 Remember Ethiopia. Remember the sacrifices of the Ethiopian people. Remember the historical witness of His Imperial Majesty. Give thanks to the Almighty through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ✝️🇪🇹