Demera bonfires
Priests bless wood and meskel flowers arranged as a cross, then light the Demera at dusk as crowds sing and process.
Ethiopian holiday
Date for
2026
Other years
Same holiday on the Gregorian and Ethiopian calendars.
Related holidays
About Meskel
Meskel commemorates the discovery of the True Cross. The eve features Demera — bonfires lit in churchyards and public squares.
Common questions
- When is Meskel?
- Meskerem 17 on the Ethiopian calendar — typically September 27 Gregorian.
Sources: Wikipedia · Rod Waddington (CC BY-SA 2.0)