This weekend, Orthodox Christians, including many from the Ethiopian community in the D.C. area, are celebrating Fasika, or Easter, marking the end of the 55-day fast called Abiy Tsome, or the Great Lent.
Ethiopians, along with Eritrean, Greek, Russian and Serbian cultures celebrate the holiday in line with the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar, which celebrated Easter at the end of March.
Bruktawit Tesfaye, a senior at Capital City Public Charter School in Northwest D.C., said she looks forward to the tradition-filled celebration every year.
Growing up in the tradition
Tesfaye, whose parents immigrated from Ethiopia, has been a mezmuran, or choir singer, at Debre Genet Medhane Alem Ethiopian Orthodox Church, in Temple Hills, Maryland, since she was a child.
Tesfaye said she likes how choir allows her to connect with other people.
“You build a special bond and sisterhood with other mezmurans, or other choir singers,” Tesfaye said, adding that it’s good to be “able to grow up with each other, learn our religion and our culture together” and see “what the future holds all together for us.”
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