Ethiopia: Home to angelic underground churches

The country has so much to offer its visitors including the rock churches in Lalibela, a tangible display of inspiring architecture, intriguing history and religious devotion.

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Built in the 13th century, they are among the largest monolithic temples in the world; constructed in a way completely contrary to how architects typically approach their creations.

These churches were carved from top to bottom completely out of bedrock. Each has its own respective pit, but all 11 are connected by a network of underground tunnels.

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The designs vary from church to church, but most have sharp, square corners, sturdy pillars and curved narrow windows. The most distinctive, Bete Giyorgis (the House of St. George), is shaped like a cross.

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Legend has it that a visiting angel came to King Lalibela in a dream, commanded him to build the churches and he dutifully carried out his assigned task. Mortals worked on them during the day while a host of angels continued the work at night, digging three times as fast as the men.

At the time of the churches' construction, Jerusalem was controlled by Muslims, and Ethiopia’s deeply devout Christians would not have been welcome. Lalibela became their “New Jerusalem” and one of Ethiopia's holiest cities. Located in a remote part of the northern sprawls, many pilgrims walk for days, even weeks, to reach the sacred site, many traversing the rugged mountains barefoot.

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If you visit in the morning during daily services, you'll find worshipers kneeling near doorways, kissing the worn rock walls, praying silently or reading religious texts.

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The Ethiopian New Year sees crowds of pilgrims troop to the small town with chants of priests ringing through the air as white-robed worshipers flood the hillsides.