Lalibela

There was a clear understanding of how to put a palace together before we all showed up, and this knowledge was worldwide.

Like we have shown time and time again on this channel, there are numerous artistic depictions in and around the Holy House of flying angels carrying this house all the way to this location, where I now have to ask the question: did angels build this thing? We have seen this before in Lalibela, where they got more than a little help from angels, where they came in on the night shift and helped to complete churches.

Again, this is the house that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is believed to have lived in.

And I think I've said this a lot in the pa-

They can also access this location through a tunnel at the southern end of the courthouse.

This location is named after the area where Jesus was buried, where it is believed to be the most important and holiest shrine in all of the churches in Lilibela.

Now, was all of this carved into rock, like they say, or was this one solid structure that now looks like a rock? I believe in my opinion, this was a massive structure and has now turned into this formation.

Between 2005 and 2009, the University of Cape Cod did over 1,200 laser scannings and acquired a 3D model of this entire place.

In terms of a story like that, it would be a photo that I took in Ethiopia.

It was in Lalibella, Ethiopia, which have the stone carved churches.

And actually, I can probably... show it in the chat room or something, or you can link to it.

We'll link to it.

It was crisp cold and a welcome reward for a day of walking.

I thought about the journey ahead – the planned trip to Lalibela and the Simien Mountains.

I need to secure my travel permits verify the current security advisories and pack my trekking gear.

It is a lot to manage But there is a thrill in the uncertainty In knowing that every step north takes me further into the heart of the country's history Back in my guest house room the sound of rain on the corrugated roof was steady and comforting.

Any questions on simian? Okay.

So after Simeon, I went to Lalibela.

Lalibela is the most historic city in Ethiopia.

And so at least you are having this podcast.

You will not repeat the mistake that I did.

So I did know that Abune Yosef was so close to Lalibela, like was literally in Lalibela.

So with my friend, we just went to Lalibela to see the churches.

and yes I'll talk about the churches and then later on I was like oh the mountain was literally just here so I went back again so of course there was no cost savings but yes so Lalibela will be the cheapest hike you will do out of Addis first Lalibela is extremely famous it is famous because of these churches keep His pictures were good.

A man at the next table was reading a newspaper, and I caught the headline, something about the airport.

I'm told Ethiopian Airlines has suspended flights to Gondar, along with Lalabela and Desi, because of the fighting.

It's hard to get a straight answer, and things change week to week.

So if you're planning to fly here, check the current situation before you book anything.

Today is my last full day in Gorgora.

Tomorrow I head back through Bahir Dar and then east towards Lalibela, and I wanted this day to be slow.

Simple.

Coda, not a finale.

There's something fitting in that.

I checked my phone.

The travel agent in Bahir Dar had confirmed my bus ticket to Lalibela for the morning, and I knew I'd need to verify the security advisories one more time before I went to bed.

The Amhara region is a complex place, and it's always worth confirming the road is stable before you travel.

So we've talked a lot about Aksum stele and the rock churches of Lalibela, but there's another piece of Ethiopian material culture that's just as iconic and maybe even more personal: the Ethiopian cross.

Not just as a religious symbol, but as an object of incredible craftsmanship and deep cultural meaning.

You mean the crosses with all those intricate patterns you see in pictures?

Exactly.

I wanna get into how the cross developed its own uniquely Ethiopian visual language, distinct from the crosses you'd find in Rome or Byzantium.

For one thing, the Lalibela Cross, the one named after the famous king, is a massive processional cross carved from a single piece of brass.

It's got these elaborate interlaced patterns and a central square that represents the Ark of the Covenant.

That's a huge deal because it ties the cross directly to Ethiopia's claim of housing the ark.

So, we've talked a lot about the Aksumite legacy, the stelae, the coins, the navy, but today I wanna take us somewhere that often gets overshadowed in the story, and that's Lalibela.

Oh, the rock-hewn churches? I've seen photos.

They look impossibly carved.

And let's not forget the symbolism.

The whole complex is laid out as a symbolic Jerusalem, with the River Jordan represented by a stream.

King Lalibela, according to legend, was guided by angels in its design.

I've heard he had a vision, but how much do we actually know about him?

Not much, to be honest.