Dear Orthodox Convert,
The necklace you have is a great treasure of Ethiopia!
As you know, they venerate copies of the Ark in their churches called "Tabots."
They have staffs they lean on, musical instruments with liturgical dance (in imitation of King David who danced before the Ark), and their hand Crosses have representations of the Ark at the bottom - both are honoured as carriers of the Shekinah or Divine Presence.
They honour Old Testament saints very highly - the feast of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in September is a national holiday.
Their greatest feast is that of Al Maskal or the Holy Cross where they light a bonfire with a cross at the top etc.
Their prayer beads have interesting numbers - 41 for the lashes Christ received (more than Roman law allowed for the worst criminal), 64 for the 64 years Our Lady is said to have lived on earth and others - our poster, Tammy, makes Ethiopian mequteria like these at
www.chotkis.com [
chotkis.com]
They follow the Coptic Horologion and wrap their icons in elephant skin which they then bury underground as a votive!
They also venerate "St Pontius Pilate" on June 25th along with his wife, St Claudia Procla (who is on our calendar). An apocryphal book which is in their extended bible tells the story of Pilate's conversion and subsequent beheading under Tiberius.
Their New Testament has eight additional Books, the Apostolic Constitutions, and their OT has the Book of Jubilees and the Book of Enoch (their extended bible has many other books).
They believe in seven Covenants between God and man - six from the OT, Adam, Noah, Melchisedek . . . and that of the New and Everlasting Covenant of Christ.
They also venerate the Queen of Sheba greatly, St Makeda and her son, St Menelik, their first emperor and son of St Solomon.
Some have said that a number of the Black Madonna images in Europe came from Ethiopia or at least the iconographic style.
They wear their Ethiopian neck crosses on cords for the most part, called "matabs" which call to mind the strings from the prayer shawl that St Peter is said to have tied around the necks of those he first baptized in the Jordan after Pentecost - so as not to baptize anyone twice etc.
These matabs are, according to an Ethiopian priest I know, often done with three intertwining cords of red, yellow and green that signify the Holy Trinity.
I've made myself one . . .
And their prayer staffs often have knotches at the top that actually have a use - they are used to count prayers, an early form of prayer counter!
My staff has 50 such knotches . . .
I also have a purple liturgical umbrella that is used by priests and bishops in processions.
I also had a purple Ethiopian priest's mitre that I gave to an OCA priest friend of mine - he has been receiving Ethiopian immigrants into his parish and uses this mitre as a way to show respect for Ethiopian Christianity. I also gave him an Ethiopian priest's cross.
When one meets an Ethiopian priest, he will extend his hand cross out to you.
We should kiss it, with the Sign of the Cross, and then press it to our forehead!
Alex
