St. George's Cathedral, Addis Ababa
The octagonal St. George's Cathedral. Photo by Menfes Qeddus.
Exterior of the small St. George's Cathedral. Photo by Menfes Qeddus.
Inside St. George's Cathedral. Photo by Dan Gerding.
Inside St. George's Cathedral. Photo by Dan Gerding.
Martyr in the war with the Italians. Photo by Dan Gerding.
St. George's Cathedral is a small octagonal Ethiopian Orthodox church in Addis Ababa.
History
The cathedral was built in 1896 as a token of thanks to St. George, whose relic was carried into battle against invading Italians at the Battle of Adwa. The Ethiopians won, marking the only time an African army defeated Europeans in a major encounter.
In 1930 this church was the site of the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie, who is the focus of Rastafarian devotion and also known as King of Kings, Elect of God, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The church is a place of pilgrimage for Rastafarians.
What to See
Inside, the cathedral is tiny, seating maybe 200. Shoes must be removed at the door.
The coronation throne of Emperor Selassie is on display, and there is a small museum whose exhibits include the garb worn in the battle: huge helmets made from lion's heads, terrifying curved swords and tridents.
The cathedral also houses the work of Afewerk Tekle, the renowned Ethiopian artist responsible for the stained glass windows of the Africa Hall.
Outside the church is a statue of a martyr who was assassinated in 1937.
Quick Facts
St. George's Cathedral is located at the north end of Churchill Rd up the hill from the Piazza. Opening hours are 8-9am and 12-2pm daily.
Visitors are welcome to attend services. As in all Ethiopian Orthodox services, everyone stands throughout the long ceremony, men to the left and women to the right.
Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of St. George's Cathedral. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Addis Ababa Map or get our free Google Earth download.
