Debre Libanos
Encyclopedia
Debre Libanos is a monastery
in Ethiopia
, lying northwest of Addis Ababa
in the Oromia Region
. Founded in the thirteenth century by Saint Tekle Haymanot
, the monastery's chief abbot, called the Ichege, was the second most powerful official in the Ethiopian Church after the Abuna
.
The monastery complex sits on a terrace between a cliff and the gorge of one of the tributaries of the Abbay River. None of the original buildings of Debre Libanos survive, although David Buxton suspected "there are interesting things still to be found among the neighbouring cliffs." Current buildings include the church over Tekle Haymanot's tomb, which Emperor Haile Selassie ordered constructed in 1961; a slightly older Church of the Cross, where Buxton was told a fragment of the True Cross
is preserved; and five religious schools. The cave where the saint lived is in the nearby cliffs, which one travel guide describes as a five-minute walk away. This cave contains a spring, whose water is considered holy
and is the object of pilgrimages.
According to David Buxton, the original route to Debre Libanos was through a cleft in the cliffs that line the eastern side of the Abay. In the later 20th century a road was laid from the main Addis Ababa
- Debre Marqos
highway to the monastery; it is a little more than four kilometers long.
, the buildings were not completely rebuilt until after the visit of Emperor Iyasu the Great
in 1699.
In the reign of Emperor Fasilides
, after invading Oromo
s had ravaged the monastery's lands in Shewa
the Emperor granted the Ichege his palace at Azazo, where the various Ichege lived.
From the 17th century until the matter was resolved in a synod convened by Emperor Yohannes II
, the Ichege and the monks of Debre Libanos were the most important supporters of the Sost Lidet doctrine, in opposition to the House of Ewostatewos
.
Emperor Haile Selassie's interest in Debre Libanos dates to when he was governor of the district of Selale. The Emperor notes in his autobiography that during the reconstruction of the church at Debre Libanos, an inscribed gold ring was found in the excavations, which he personally delivered to then Emperor Menelik II.
Following the attempted assassination on his life on 19 February 1937, governor Rodolfo Graziani believed the monastery's monk
s and novice
s were involved in this attack, and unwilling to wait for the results of the official investigation, ordered Italian
colonialists to massacre the inhabitants of this monastery
. On 21 May of that year, 297 monks and 23 laymen were killed. Although when Buxton visited Debre Libanos in the mid-1940s, he found the remains of these victims were plainly visible ("Here were innumerable bones and skulls -- bones in bags and bones in boxes, bones lying in confused heaps, awaiting burial"); a cross-shaped tomb
was afterwards built to contain their remains, which stands next to the parking lot.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in 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...
, lying northwest of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
in the Oromia Region
Oromia Region
Oromia is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia...
. Founded in the thirteenth century by Saint Tekle Haymanot
Tekle Haymanot
Tekle Haymanot or Takla Haymanot was an Ethiopian monk who founded a major monastery in his native province of Shewa...
, the monastery's chief abbot, called the Ichege, was the second most powerful official in the Ethiopian Church after the Abuna
Abuna
Also see Leaders of ChristianityAbun is the honorific title used for any bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as well as of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church...
.
The monastery complex sits on a terrace between a cliff and the gorge of one of the tributaries of the Abbay River. None of the original buildings of Debre Libanos survive, although David Buxton suspected "there are interesting things still to be found among the neighbouring cliffs." Current buildings include the church over Tekle Haymanot's tomb, which Emperor Haile Selassie ordered constructed in 1961; a slightly older Church of the Cross, where Buxton was told a fragment of the True Cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
is preserved; and five religious schools. The cave where the saint lived is in the nearby cliffs, which one travel guide describes as a five-minute walk away. This cave contains a spring, whose water is considered holy
Holy water
Holy water is water that, in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and some other churches, has been sanctified by a priest for the purpose of baptism, the blessing of persons, places, and objects; or as a means of repelling evil.The use for baptism and...
and is the object of pilgrimages.
According to David Buxton, the original route to Debre Libanos was through a cleft in the cliffs that line the eastern side of the Abay. In the later 20th century a road was laid from the main Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
- Debre Marqos
Debre Marqos
Debre Marqos is a city and woreda in east-central Ethiopia. Located in the Misraq Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region, it has a latitude and longitude of , and an elevation of 2,446 meters. The city is named Debre Marqos after its principal church, which was constructed in 1869 and dedicated to St....
highway to the monastery; it is a little more than four kilometers long.
History
Debre Libanos suffered great destruction during the invasion of Ahmad Gragn when one of his followers, Ura'i Abu Bakr, set it afire 21 July 1531, despite the attempts of its community to ransom the church. Although the Ichege intervened to protect the Gambos during the reign of Sarsa DengelSarsa Dengel
Sarsa Dengel was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
, the buildings were not completely rebuilt until after the visit of Emperor Iyasu the Great
Iyasu I of Ethiopia
Iyasu I , also known as Iyasu the Great, was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
in 1699.
In the reign of Emperor Fasilides
Fasilides of Ethiopia
Fasilides was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
, after invading Oromo
Oromo people
The Oromo are an ethnic group found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya, .and parts of Somalia. With 30 million members, they constitute the single largest ethnic group in Ethiopia and approximately 34.49% of the population according to the 2007 census...
s had ravaged the monastery's lands in Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
the Emperor granted the Ichege his palace at Azazo, where the various Ichege lived.
From the 17th century until the matter was resolved in a synod convened by Emperor Yohannes II
Yohannes II of Ethiopia
Yohannes II or John II was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the son of Iyasu I, and brother of Emperors Tekle Haymanot, Dawit III and Bakaffa....
, the Ichege and the monks of Debre Libanos were the most important supporters of the Sost Lidet doctrine, in opposition to the House of Ewostatewos
Ewostatewos
Ewosṭatewos was an important religious leader of the Ethiopian Church. He was a forceful advocate for the Ethiopian form of observing the Sabbath...
.
Emperor Haile Selassie's interest in Debre Libanos dates to when he was governor of the district of Selale. The Emperor notes in his autobiography that during the reconstruction of the church at Debre Libanos, an inscribed gold ring was found in the excavations, which he personally delivered to then Emperor Menelik II.
Following the attempted assassination on his life on 19 February 1937, governor Rodolfo Graziani believed the monastery's monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s and novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
s were involved in this attack, and unwilling to wait for the results of the official investigation, ordered Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
colonialists to massacre the inhabitants of this monastery
Yekatit 12
Yekatit 12 is a date in the Ethiopian calendar, equivalent to 19 February in the Gregorian calendar, which is commonly used to refer to the indiscriminate massacre and imprisonment of Ethiopians by elements of the Italian occupation forces following an attempted assassination of Viceroy Rodolfo...
. On 21 May of that year, 297 monks and 23 laymen were killed. Although when Buxton visited Debre Libanos in the mid-1940s, he found the remains of these victims were plainly visible ("Here were innumerable bones and skulls -- bones in bags and bones in boxes, bones lying in confused heaps, awaiting burial"); a cross-shaped tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
was afterwards built to contain their remains, which stands next to the parking lot.