Ethiopia pilgrims return to Aksum for festival

Thousands of people have descended on the northern Ethiopian city of Aksum to celebrate a religious holiday for the first time in three years.

Festivities had been paused because of the civil war in the Tigray region that ended a year ago.

People outside a church
BBCCopyright: BBC
Aksum – which was the site of an alleged massacre soon after the war began in November 2020 – is the country’s holiest city for Orthodox Christians.

It is said to be the home of the Ark of the Covenant, which contains the 10 commandments handed down to Moses by God.

Aksum has become the focus for the annual festival of St Mary and the city is a major pilgrimage destination with people coming from all over the country and beyond.