Cave church

OK, you may have seen enough church-type photos, in this blog by a non church-type person, but this should be the last. This is an obscure, cave-like church called Maryam Buzuhan carved into the base of a cliff, which we went into on our hike. It's about 1600 years old. Perhaps it was a cave originally, but it's makers added pillars, and carvings on the ceiling at least. We weren't allowed to see into the Holy of Holies, which like all Ethiopian churches, contains a replica of the ark of the covenant. Well, except for one church in Axum which contains the real ark of the covenant. This is the box which contains the the fragments of the tablets on which the ten commandments were written, and which has magical powers enabling armies to be victorious in battle. (like in Raiders of the Lost Ark) And which Menelik, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon stole from Jerusalem without anyone knowing. You heard it here first, or maybe not.

Anyway, the church, like all the others we have been to here was pretty neat. They are worth seeing. In the photo are Anj, Susannah (a friend who was hiking with us), and Birhan, our guide.