azawa monastery

Lake Tana is the largest body of water in Ethiopia and forms the main reservoir for the Blue Nile River. The number of islands on the lake is not quite clear, neither is the number of islands which shelter churches and monasteries of historical and cultural interest and value. Azawa Maryam, located on the peninsula of Zege in the Southwest portion of the lake, is one of the monasteries. It may not be one of the oldest monasteries in Ethiopia, but it certainly is special.

The 13th century round wooden structure bears a thatched roof with a beautiful orthodox cross on top, hung with seven ostrich eggs. The ostrich eggs are a symbol of the never failing vigilance of Jesus Christ over his creed. The same as ostriches never leave their eggs out of sight, Jesus never turns his eyes away from his flock. Four doors, each opening towards one cardinal direction, give access to the exterior circle of the monastery. Eight doors opened into the second circle. The whole wall of the second circle is covered from top to bottom with paintings which tell in a superbly eloquent and breathtakingly vivid and colorful way the stories of the Bible and other Holy Books of the Orthodox Church.