Church of Debre Mitmaq - ደብረ ምጥማቅ
Henceforth all generations will call me blessed
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church venerates Holy Virgin Mariam as the Mother of God, whom the Divine Grace chose to bear the Word of God in her womb by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). Since Holy Virgin Mariam is the interceding mother on behalf of her spiritual children, she is exalted above heavenly and earthly creatures. The Ethiopian church celebrates 33 feasts of Holy Virgin Mariam throughout the year and it is our duty to call her blessed mother.
May 29 - Ginbot 21 is one of the annual feasts of Holy Virgin Mariam celebrated colorfully following her appearance in the church of Debre Mitmak named after her.
According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Synaxarium, on this day our Holy Mother started to transfigure in luminous spiritual forms over and around of the domes of the church dedicated to her in Debre Mitmaq. Her public appearance continued for five days in front of tens of thousands of people from every race and religion. As everyone seeing her, pointing at her and interceding to her with songs, hymns, she was looking to them in a compassionate way raising her hand to bless them in all directions.
Her transfiguration was in different forms one of the most significant was on her head was a crown of a queen as if it were made of diamonds and sometimes there appeared on the top of the crown a small luminous cross. And sometimes she appeared in the same way but carrying Our Lord and Savior Eyesus Kirstose, to Him is the Glory, in the form of a child on her hand and on His head a crown. And on other times she raised her both hands as She was blessing the world moving to the right, to the front, and to the left in a dignified way.
Hosts of Angles also appeared standing behind her spreading their wings to glorify her from heaven. The prophets, the righteous, and all the martyrs including Saint George and Saint Mercorios came and did homage to her. During her apparition, she made many miracles among the crowd, for instance, those who’s relative were died made prayer in her name, and then she brought them alive before their relatives as they had before on earth. The congregation threw their garments to her, she took and threw it back to them, and they divided it among them for blessing.
According to Ethiopian Orthodox church’s tradition, the site is one of the locations where the Holy family stayed during their flight into Egypt, and baby Eyesus Kirstos prophesied concerning of the church and said “Behold, later on the church will be built here in the name of my Mother, Holy Virgin Mariam”.
On 1441th EC, King Atse Zerayakob heard very sad news that the Muslim burned down the blessed holy virgin Mariam Debre Mitmaq church in Egypt. He built a replica of the burnt Debre Mitmaq church in shewa, Bulega. On 1450, Ginbot 21 (May 29) the new church was consecrated.
Christ Rose from the dead!