Rock-hewn churches

May 5—The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are a true marvel of the ancient world. They were not “constructed,” they were “excavated”—carved laboriously into the mountainside. King Lalibela commissioned them in the 12th century, about the same time St. Francis of Assisi was active in Italy. The churches bear the marks of chisels, but most details about the planning and excavation methods remain a mystery. It took 24 years to complete them.

Before becoming king, Lalibela lived in Israel for 12 years. Then when he returned to power in Ethiopia he wanted to create a New Jerusalem, which is why names like Bethlehem, Jordan River and Sinai (and many more) mark places in the Lalibela area. He developed a pilgrimage site to represent Jerusalem in Ethiopia. Even now the churches remain functional and active. Many pilgrims visit annually and hermits abound in the area.

This blog cannot begin to recount the details of the six churches we visited this afternoon. Inside these ancient stones with cross-carved windows, priests displayed their treasures—800-year-old gold crosses, some with interesting stories of their own. Only a few of the churches had paintings. One, Golgotha, is the burial place of King Lalibela.

The jewel in the crown, separated a short distance from the others in this overall grouping of six, is Bet Giorgis, a church dedicated to St. George. It was the last one built. The entire “excavation” is in the shape of a cross, literally cut down into the hard rock of the mountain. Today its walls bear yellow hues of lichen. Inside is King Lalibela’s treasure chest.

One of the students in our group approached the priest in Bet Giorgis to ask how long he had served in this place. The man spoke no English; the student spoke no Amharic. An Ethiopian visitor stepped in to interpret. “Thirty-one years, 16 as head priest” the priest eventually replied. “It feels like two days,” he added, as a wide smile spread across his face.

The churches of Lalibela really must be seen to be believed. Handmade in Ethiopia, eh? Eight hundred years ago? More and more people are seeing and believing. The tourism industry in Ethiopia got a big boost when Lalibela was featured on The Amazing Race television program.