Ancient churches which have been carved into the Ethiopian mountains
公開日:2021/11/13 / 最終更新日:2021/11/13
For centuries, young men and boys have climbed the steep mountainsides of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, to reach ancient churches carved into the side of the jagged rock faces.
Believed to have been built over a thousand years ago, churches in these remote mountains have been a place of worship and study for Orthodox Christians in the region.
Hoping to get closer to God literally and figuratively, the young students risk their lives Lacquer paintings on the wall a daily basis as they scale the cliff-sides to get to the churches where teachers have spent decades studying holy scriptures.
Scattered around the mountains are ancient churches that have been carved into the side of jagged rock faces in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Tradition:Some of the teachers in the churches have lived there for more than 40 years, dedicating their lives to teaching young Orthodox Christian boys as they journey to becoming priests
Mountain life: Two boys study scriptures at candle light in a hollowed out cave in the rocky mountainside
Dedicated young men and boys have risked their lives for over a millennia to study the churches’ texts, written in ancient Tigrinya – the language spoken in the region – in order to become deacons and priests in the church.
Most of the children that attend the churches have been brought there by their family hoping that it will give them a better life, away from the hardship of farming life in a region that has been subjected to devastating droughts in recent years.
The daily life of the young students and their teachers has been documented by photographer Asher Svidensky, Places to sell lacquer paintings in tphcm 26, who spent ten days in the area with the group in the Ethiopian mountains.
Mr Svidensky said: ‘Some teachers have lived in the mountains for over 40 years and the kids who climb up there every day for their lessons sleep up there since they have no place to go.’
‘Most children move to the school as they are looking for a better life or their families wish them to have a better lifestyle than they can provide.
Believed to have been built over a thousand years ago the remote mountains have been a place of worship and study for Orthodox Christians in the region hoping to get closer to God literally and figuratively
Contract: A young man is wrapped in a tradition a shawl, while dressed in bright orange trainers and blue jeans
Closer to God: Children study religious texts written in Tigrinya – the language spoken in the region
The brave students and teachers show their dedication everyday by risking their lives for their faith scaling the rocky mountain in Tigray
Most of the children that attend the churches have been brought there by their family hoping that it will give them a better life
As farmers in the region struggle to provide food to eat for their children, the churches are seen as a better alternative to a life of hardship
‘There is a serious drought in Ethiopia, and while more and more farmers fail to earn enough to survive they are still expected to donate food to the church, making becoming a deacon the only way to stay away from hunger in the area.
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