Festival · Festivals & Events
Genna (Ethiopian Christmas)
Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on 7 January, after a 40-day fast, with one of the most moving religious gatherings in Africa.
- Best Time
- 6 to 7 January
- Suggested Stay
- 2 to 3 days
- Altitude
- 2,500 m (Lalibela)
- Region
- Festivals & Events
Why We Go
An all-night vigil among the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela on 7 January.
On Christmas Eve worshippers gather in their churches for a vigil of prayers and hymns that lasts for hours. Priests and debtera, scholars of church music and poetry, lead chants preserved since Christianity reached Ethiopia.
Lalibela is the most remarkable place to experience Genna. Pilgrims walk for days to reach the rock-hewn churches, and on Christmas morning the priests’ chanting echoes across the trench of Bete Maryam. Accommodation books up early, so we recommend reserving well in advance.
Highlights
- Tens of thousands of white-robed pilgrims in Lalibela
- Debtera chanting from the rim of Bete Maryam
- Candle-lit prayers through Christmas Eve
- Feasting as the 40-day fast comes to an end
Journeys Including Genna (Ethiopian Christmas)
Routes that pass through here
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Plan This Destination
Build Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) into your journey
Nothing here is fixed. Tell us how long you have and what else you want to see, and our team will plan the route, including the flights, the guides and the hours that matter.
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Speak to someone who has been there this season
Our guides travel these routes all year. Ask about road conditions, festival dates or the best time to visit. You will get a straight answer.
Or call us directly on +251 912 039405