With an 8+ hour layover at Addis Ababa, the airline offer a free hotel room and transit visa. I had planned to visit Lucy (1) at the National Museum, but it is closed for renovations.
A ten minute walk away from the hotel is the Medhane Alem Cathedral (2) of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (3). Finished in 1931, the style is unlike other churches I have seen, featuring a square design with porticos all around. While the interior was closed, the exterior has brilliant blue mosaics ensconsed in niches under the porticos. I sat and enjoyed the fresh air, breeze and relative quiet (4) while the faithful came, knelt, crossed themselves 3 times (in the Orthodox way), and kissed the icons.
Turning to leave before dark (5), music suddenly was broadcast through speakers in the church. I lingered to listen to the music and the birdsong from the trees nearby.
(1) Lucy's skelton are the oldest hominid remains ever found; her DNA is in all humans alive today. A sign at the airport says "Welcome to your motherland."
(2) Transliterated from the Amharic (a) መድኃኔዓለም ካቴድራል meaning "Savior of the World."
(a) Like Hebrew and Arabic, Amharic is a Semetic language.
(3) Western Ethiopia is mainly Christian, dating from the Christianization of the Kingdom of Akzum in 331, C.E. Eastern Ethiopia is predominantly Muslim.
(4) Relative to Mumbai, the skies were clear and cars honked their horns only when they needed to!
(5) I wanted to return in the daylight mostly to avoid falling in a hole in the sidewalk.
The Cathedral
Unlike Eastern Orthodox depictions, there is no lower bar on the cross
Madonna
Richly carved doors
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