I did a program in the early nineties at the Philadelphia Folk Art Center, The First Annual Rastafari/Ethiopian Symposium and I believe you were kind enough to present on Ethiopic writing systems. I am hoping you are the same professor as I have been trying to get in touch with you ever since. This is ras Al Turner, the organizer of the event. Please reply and confirm at your convenience.

Give Thanks,
Ras AL turner: ambassa777@yahoo.com

With regard to the architectural genesis of the Lalibela churches, it is important to note that the tradition rock-hewn churches began in Tigray. The presence of hundreds of rock-hewn churches in Tigray. some older than the lalibela churches, certainly testify to my assertion that the architects were Ethiopians. Second, recent archaeological work by David Phillipson and his team in Lalibela resulted with an earlier date. Phillipson dated at least Bete Gebriel and Bete Merqorewos to the seventh century CE, much earlier than the time of the Templars.

Ethiopian historians, such as Sergew Hable-Selassie, Merid Wolde Aregay, Tadesse Tamrat, Getachew Haile have made extensive research and publication on medieval Ethiopia. Their works are extremely valubale with regard to the history the Zagwe Dynasty and the Shoand Dynasty.

As Kokeb suggested, there are also primary sources, such as Royal Chronicles, Fetha Negest, Kebra Negest, Synaxarium and other valubale manuscripts where some of them were published as early as the thirteenth century CE.

Abram is raising an important point. That is our modernity or what he called Ethiopian renaissance may have begun during these periods. Actually, as Professor Tekeste Negash suggested, the myth of Makeda (tradition of continuity) and the offering of a sanctuary to the followers of the Prophet Mohammed by Aksumites in the sventh century CE (tradition of tolerance) were significant markers or starters of our renaissance. This what our history teaches us.

The Spanish inquisition can be interpreted in many ways. Some scholars have argued that the inquisition was a necessary policy (from an administrative perspective) developed by Spain’s royal family as a solution to exert more control over their religiously diverse society. It was an ecclesiastical tribunal that exercised authority only over baptized Christians, and mostly to ensure the orthodoxy of recent converts such as Jews, Muslims, Moors (mix of Africans and Arabs) and others. But, yes, I agree with Dibaba that the objective of the inquisition itself was offensive. According to Wiki: quoniam punitio non refertur primo & per se in correctionem & bonum eius qui punitur, sed in bonum publicum ut alij terreantur, & a malis committendis avocentur. (Translation from the Latin: “… for punishment does not take place primarily and per se for the correction and good of the person punished, but for the public good in order that others may become terrified and weaned away from the evils they would commit.”) Yaaak.

But for me personally the most interesting is the possible relationship between one of the Medieval Ethiopian Emperors and the 1307 inquisition in France, where members of the secretive “Knights Templar” or the “Order of the Temple of Solomon” were arrested, tortured into giving false confessions, and then burned at the stake. Wiki says, “The Knights Templar were a monastic military order, which would later become extraordinarily powerful and wealthy, were founded in Jerusalem in 1118 C.E., whose mission was to protect Christian pilgrims during the Crusades.”

Remember that Lalibela, the Ethiopian King who built the rock-hewn Lalibela churches, which is now recognized as a UNESCO world heritage sight, was in exile in Jersulaem at the time and lived there for almost a decade. Is it not possible (Professor Ayele can help here) that Lalibela might possibly have befriended members of the Kingit Templars? Is it not also possible, as some have suggested, that members of the secret order might have traveled with him to Ethiopia to help him reclaim his throne and perhaps assisted in the building of the churches as well? In fact, the Kinght Templars distinctive red cross are found as part of the Churches’ art work.

But later, there mush have been a falling out between the Ethiopian Emperor and the Europeans because they seem to have suddenly disappeared. Interestingly enough, Honckok mentions a secret Ethiopian delegation of about 30, who traveled to Europe in 1307 to meet with Pope Clement and deliver a secret message. Incidentally, few weeks after the Ethiopians met with the Pop, King Philip of France ( who already felt threatened by the power of the secret organization and in a hurry to claim their riches) in coordination with Pope Clement, secretly ordered the mass arrest of all the Knights Templar in France.

Just a thought…something to research further.

Selam lehulachu yihun

Mesfin, Boston

Thanks for clarification. I believe [and wanted to point out} the ‘..Spanish Inquisition..’ comment {made by Abram} is offensive and {irrelevant to this article}.

Keep up the good work and wish you more success!!

Thank you

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