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Festivities in Focus | The ritual baptism Timket returns to Seattle

Thousands gathered on Sunday to mark the two-day Ethiopian Orthodox holiday after two years of the pandemic and the Tigray war.

Festivities in Focus | The ritual baptism Timket returns to Seattle

by

Amanda Snyder

Repuplish

Holy water flew through the air, splashing on some of the thousands of joyful faces at the Seattle Design Center on Sunday as congregants gathered to mark the second day of the two-day holiday Timket, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's celebration of the baptism of Jesus.

It was the first celebration of Timket since the November end of the two-year Tigray war, a civil conflict that killed thousands and displaced millions more, disrupting families and friends back home in northern Ethiopia. For many, it was also the first public celebration of the holiday since the beginning of the pandemic.

Priests in traditional religious clothes stand around a inflatable pool

The Archbishop and priests from Seattle’s 11 Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches gather to bless the water during Timket on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

“There [are] a lot of people here … who were affected by the political crisis back home for the last two years,” said Priest Surafel Asrat, who was in Ethiopia last year for Timket.

Ethiopia was still home for many in the crowd last weekend. When people come together as a church, Asrat explained, they become “stronger and more unified.” In the wake of the upheaval, the celebration brought spiritual nourishment and solidarity to the Ethiopian people, Asrat said.

A close up of gold crosses dipping into a pool of water

The Archbishop and priests from Seattle’s 11 Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches dip gold crosses into the water to bless it. The water is sprinkled on the participants to symbolically renew their baptismal vows. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

A group of people wearing white are sprayed with water

Congregants are sprinkled with holy water to symbolize the baptism of Jesus during Timket on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. The two-day holiday is a celebration of Jesus’ journey and baptism by John the Baptist. This was the first local celebration of Timket since the November end of the two-year Tigray war. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

As the first day of celebrations began in the South Seattle College parking lot on Saturday, water flew from the sky in a different form – heavy rain.

The gold robes and white dresses weren’t shielded from the rain, but spirits remained high. A lively processional with congregants from 11 churches sang and danced its way from the community college to the Seattle Design Center in Georgetown.

Young people smile as they are sprayed with holy water

Congregants laugh after being splashed with holy water during Timket. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

Priest wearing gold traditional garb carry covered tablets over their heads. Umbrellas fill the upper half of the frame.

Priests carry their parish’s Tabot, a replica of the Tablets of Law onto which the Biblical Ten Commandments were inscribed, above their heads from Seattle Community College to the Seattle Design Center during a processional symbolizing Jesus’ walk to the Jordan River to be baptized. The Tabot is hidden from public view. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

A young altar boy holds a painting of Mary and baby Jesus

Congregants carry an image of Mother Mary and Jesus. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

“Water is from Earth. Water is baptism,” Asrat said as he welcomed the rain. “Whether you're rich or not … whether you are an immigrant or not. The water from the sky [is] dropped for everybody equally.“

A crowd of people in white religious garb

Congregants are sprinkled with holy water during Timket. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

Timket, also referred to as Epiphany by Orthodox Christians, celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The holiday is one of Ethiopia’s biggest annual gatherings.

There, it traditionally begins on Jan. 19, while those in the Seattle area celebrate it the following weekend. The eve before Timket is referred to as Ketera, when a processional honors the walk Jesus is said to have made from Nazareth to the Jordan River. The Tabot, a replica of the Ark of the Covenant, is taken out of each church and held overhead by the high priests.

Parishioners in white gather around a stairwell lined with green, red and yellow baloons

Congregants listen to the Liturgy while celebrating Timket. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

People look down from a balcony

Deacons listen to singing and preaching. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

A close up of three boys wearing green and white

The Getahun family celebrates Timket. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

Ceremonies for Timket begin early the following morning with readings, songs and prayers.

The event concludes with a blessing of water sprinkled onto the crowd to symbolize the baptism. Congregants push their way to the front, eager to feel the water on their faces. Elated screams ring out as the holy water hits their faces and hymns fill the air.

A group of Ethiopian orthodox priests in gold and white traditional robes are seen from below

Priests from Seattle's Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches gather around the water to bless it. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

“Our Lord Jesus Christ came to be baptized by his settlers,” Deacon Neway Fida said. “The scriptures tell us John the Baptist tried to deter him: How can I baptize you?”

But Jesus was baptized by John out of humility, Fida explains, adding that the holiday offers an opportunity to teach about that humility.

Altar boys in gold robes and traditional garb hold crosses outside in the rain

Clergy bear robes, crosses, and umbrellas of many hues to avoid the heavy rain during a processional to Seattle Design Center. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

At left, a priest holds up a large golden cross. At right, an Ethiopian flag is tucked in the door handle of a red sedan,

Left: A priest from Seattle's Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches gathers around the water to bless it. Right: An Ethiopian flag is latched to a car during the celebration. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

“The church is telling the community how the humility [of] our Lord Jesus Christ is shown. Whether we are educated, whether we are high in power, whether we are influenced in so many things, we [should] abide in the teaching of the Church and go to the church to be baptized.”

Priests sprinkle water on congregants in white robes, a young boy squints as water hits his face

Congregants are sprinkled with holy water to symbolize the baptism of Jesus. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

Three young men wearing gold and blue robes hold large wood crosses

Deacons carry crosses at the start of the processional. (Amanda Snyder/Crosscut)

This photo essay is part of an ongoing series on holiday celebrations. If you have a celebration you would like Crosscut to attend, please let us know by emailing amanda.snyder@crosscut.com