Fasica means Easter in Amharic, which is the official language of Ethiopia. Ethiopian Easter, or Fasica, which takes place in Orthodox Churches throughout the country, follows the eastern method of calculating Easter, and thus tends to fall after Easter in the Western calendar. Fasica is a much more important festival than Christmas, since the Death and Resurrection of Jesus is more significant in Orthodox theology than his birth.
Fasica is a climactic celebration. Fasting becomes more intense over the 56 day period of Lent, when no meat or animal products of any kind, including milk and butter, are eaten. The 56 days of fasting is a symbolic representation of sharing in His sacrifice for all human beings. Good Friday starts off by church going and is a day of preparation for the breaking of this long fasting period. The faithful prostrate themselves in church, bowing down and rising up 101 times. The main religious service takes place with the Paschal Vigil on Saturday night. It is a sombre, sacred occasion with music and dancing until the early hours of the morning. At 3:00 a.m. everyone returns home to break their fast.
Followers celebrate Fasika with intense joy, food, drinks and the exchanging of gifts. 
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. - Matthew 28:6
2 comments:
Sherry,
Thanks for sharing this information!
My husband and I attended a midnight Pascal Sevice last night to experience this first hand. All I can say is it makes what our family did at Easter look almost pagan!! It was a three and a half hours of worship and reverence to our Lord. Parts of the service were done in three or four languages since so many countries were represented. There were Russians, Greeks, Ethiopians, Scots, Dutch and many others!! It was so cool! I think I might have to blog on it!
Theresa WFR
It seems strange to leave you a comment, since we've never met. But I feel so grateful to have learned about your story. We started the adoption process three weeks ago. Everything is new and I am ingesting as much information as I can, which leads me to blog hopping whenever I can!
You articulated some of my struggles so beautifully, I just wanted to say thank you.
We are also feeling led to consider siblings and we also have three other children (the youngest is 17 months). In my mind, it makes no sense, but I trust the Lord will bring about what he has planned for our family in the timing that is perfect.
"Unless the Lord builds his house, the builder labors in vain." ps 127:1 has become my favorite verse.
Isn't it incredible how many families are being led by God to adopt from Ethiopia?
One more thing, can you tell me where your friend bought the "adopted" canvas painting? It is awesome!
Tyra
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