A day on Lake Tana

MAY 3—We boarded a boat on Lake Tana and chugged pleasantly to the end of long peninsula to visit a 16th century monastery dedicated to Saint Mary. The walk from the dock up the hill to the major compound was a little bit muddy and a lot rocky.

For me, personally, it evoked powerful memories of my own childhood experiences trekking in various places in Ethiopia. There are places where footpaths matter so much more than highways.

Which is altogether fitting for the “down ancient paths” journey we are traveling. We are in a place where it seems time stood still. The monks lean on their prayer sticks. The children beg.

We enter the monastery compound and prepare to enter the circular church (see next entry about etiquette). The church comprises three concentric circles. The smallest circle the holy of holies, where none but the priests can enter. The doors to the centre are immense and made of hard juniper wood and covered with paintings.

Indeed, virtually the entire outer wall is filled with iconic paintings depicting stories from the Bible and other sources recognized in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition. This particular monastery once served as a school of painting. That began at the end of the 16th century, when an Ethiopian queen invited some Italians to teach new methods to the local artists.

These paintings were the primary means of teaching the Christian story in an illiterate society. They are greatly venerated; they are not worshiped.

The monastery and church function as an engine of community. They must be self-sustaining and they serve others. This one now grows coffee and has its own elementary school. The tourist industry is the next frontier. Souvenir stands are popping up and a big Coca Cola sign offers a welcome.

We returned to the boat to continue our trip across the large lake. Pelicans abound. A couple hours of cruising brought us to Narga Island, which features a church built in the 16th century. The construction is heavily influenced by the Portuguese, who at various time is history have been welcome (and unwelcome) in Ethiopia. It is surrounded by fortress walls and built with stone and mortar, rather than wood and mud plaster.

Narga Selassie is one of 34 monasteries found on 20 of Lake Tana’s 37 islands. It is the Church of the Trinity, although some of the iconography on its walls would be unwelcome in most Christian traditions because they depict the Holy Trinity as three identical and equal persons.

The priests were very hospitable. After we toured the church they showed us some precious treasures. First they displayed a couple of large ceremonial crosses finely rendered in silver and gold. Then they showed us a lectionary manuscript from the late 16th century, written with charcoal ink on goatskin with bright illuminations of select passages.

I’m writing this on Saturday, May 3, on the rear deck of the launch as we work our way across Lake Tana. (I have no idea when I’ll find a proper Internet connection to post it. Hopefully this evening.) We have another 90 minutes on the lake and then another 90 minutes (65 kilometres in a bus) to Gondar.