The Oldest Christians
The islands of Lake Tana house the monasteries from the eighth and ninth centuries. They're still inhabited by monks and nuns (separately, of course), which lead a secluded life, better said, monastic ... surprised by how thin some of them were, I found out that some only eat a handful of grain a day and hardly anything else! They were founded by early Christian hermits who sought a place to retreat from the underworld, and there are still pilgrims arriving, especially during busy times. One of the prettiest is the Ura Kidane Mihret, also the most frequented by tourists. About a half hour walk through the forest leads us to this circular building, which is a typical example of an Ethiopian Orthodox Church, made of mud mortar and thatched conical shape that inside hold manuscripts, ecclesiastical objects, crowns and royal garments of various emperors from the ninth century ....
