Ye Meskel Wef - የመስቀል ወፍ
[Photo By: KPA]
The Meskel Wef appears around mid-September. It's name is given in honor of the upcoming "Meskel" celebrations. The important Ethiopian Orthodox Holiday (this year occurring on September 27), commemorates the finding of the cross.
The details are interesting, and intriguing. Why did these Ethiopians decide to make this such an important, celebratory, Holy Day, with liturgical complexity, and bonfire festivities? I will venture to answer this, and other questions closer to the date, but part of the answer is they simply wanted to get closer to God, and to Christ, in this Island Nation, far from the center of Jesus' birth and life.
These birds, iridescent in the light, scurry around, often flying in large flocks. They seem to like these small lamp caps, which fit their perching feet perfectly.
I will also write more details on them in the next post.