Official Site of Mahibere Kidusan Under EOTC

Atse Dawit after he brought the cross ( the right hand piece of the cross the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on) from Egypt, he died accidentally of a disease before entering the boundary of Ethiopia in a place called “ Zebest” It was between the boundary of Ethiopia and the sudan. Then his son Zera Yackob, after hearing this news, went to the place and brought the cross and fathers body. He put his fathers skeleton in the monastery of Duga Estifanos .He brought the cross to showa and searched for a suitable place for it on Geshen Debre kerbie afret receiving a heavenly call that said “ anbrwe meskelye bedibe meskel “meaning put my cross in a croos.

Gdhsen was found exactly to be the right place for it ( the cross). This is a mountain and looks like a natural cross. On the top of it Atse Zera Yackob started to consecrate Churches in the names of Mary and God the Father. The construction took three Years to be finished and on 1 Oct. 1421 E.C the churches were consecrated.

It was at this time that by the will of the king the Cross was decided to be buried under earth under the temple of God the father Church.

First of all the cross was put in a box of gold
The box of gold was put in a silver box
The silver box was put in an iron box
The iron box was put in another iron box
This iron box was put in a bronze box and this was stamped by the king of king and was put in a bed made from ivory

It was decided, that strong spiritual restrictions were passed by the conte,porary bishops called Abba Michael and Abba Gabriel and also Abba Yohannes episcopos, so no king could take it( the cross) from Gishen to other Place.

On the other hand , there was a legend that said during the period of theodros the cross will come to view. So based on this Atse Theodros tried to dig it out but he lost many soldiers of his by thunder so he turned back accepting that there will come another.

Theodros. All this history is found in the books called Tiefut (book of history ) and Melade Meskel ( book of history)

In the format Harangue province of Esa and Gorgra Distinct at the place called Kulubi, the church was built in 1887 E.C

During the reign of Emperor Anbesa wudim,at the time Yodit/ Goudit was distracting churches the king took the Ark or the covenant of Aksum and other ancient covenants and replaced them to their former places. Only the coventat of St. Gabriel remained and the king was very disappointed about it.

From Eritea of debre Sine Maryam, a hermit called Abba Lewi was instructed to bring the left covenants. Gabriel revealed to him and said the he would die and the covenant would be missed, but in the future, the covenant that would come by his name would enter the place.

Abba Lewi lived there and inscribed the story on caves and he died there. The ark was in a place share only God knows. The ark was kept concealed.

When historians, at the reign of lebne Dingle visited Kulubi, they found the inscription and after coping it kept it at Ziway Island . Passing it from generation to generation and in 1880 E.C When prince Tas Mekonnen heard about it ,he went and looked at it.

Then the prince established the kulubi Gabriesl church and he ordered the ark of St. Gabriel to ce bought to the newly built church and the celebration took place on /December 19 of 1885 E.C.

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Kulubi Gabriel became popular In the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Millioms of faithfyl would like to make spiritual Journeys twice a year on July 26 and Dec. 28 to kulubi for celebration of St.Gabriel feast says.

There are at least a hundred church and monasteries de3dicsted to St. Gabriel. The angel visits them all, Whereas Kulubi as the residence of him . Beaceus the monastery of ST..Gabriel at kulubi ,the place of miracles where faithful go to fulfill a “Silet” or vow to ST. Gabriel in return for a request already granted.

There fore, the EOTC recommends pilgrimages and look upon them as an excellent means of devotion and penance and of consequent purification and spiritual benefit.

Gishen maryam