The FIRST WEEK/“Zewerede=ዘወረደ” (“Zewerede” means the one who descended from above)/ Museni/ Fast of King Heraclius
Because of the significance and holiness of the Great Lent, the Church designated a week of preparation to precede the 40 days. The Church teaches us to prepare for Great Lent in a spiritual manner. In fact, the preparatory week is not the only fast which the Church designated to get us ready for Great Lent and Holy Week. Two weeks prior to Great Lent there is Jonah's Fast, also known as Nineveh's Fast. It is a short fast, only three days, and it is a fast of repentance. During this fast, we live with Jonah, his fasting and repentance in the whale's belly. We also live with the Ninevites, their fasting and repentance. Just as the fasting accompanied by repentance saved Jonah and the Ninevites from perdition, also our fasting accompanied by repentance will save us from eternal destruction and death due to sin.
In our church each Sunday of the Great Lent carries a spiritual theme, which helps us to engage in spiritual dialogue with God through the incarnate, crucified and risen Christ. The First week of Great Lent is called Zewerede (God came to the earth) / Museni/ The Fast of a King (Heraclius). The first name of the week “Zewerede” is taken from St. Yared's mezmure saying, "Jews have crucified God who came to the earth to save Adam". On this song, St. Yared sings about the path of salvation taken (i.e. birth, baptism, crucifixion and resurrection) by our lord Jesus Christ (John 1:9-11; 3:13-21). It is also called the fast of King Heraclius who was king of Byzantines. During his reign, the neighboring country invades Jerusalem and took the cross of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Church fathers asked King Heraclius to bring back the cross and agreed to fast a week while he went to retrieve the cross. It is like a preparatory fasting period for Great Lent in a spiritual manner.
We fast to prepare ourselves for the 40 holy days which started the following Sunday. The additional 15 days could be also counted as the substitution of the Saturdays and Sundays that we are eating on the 40 days of the Holy fast. We start eating in morning during the weekends unlike the rest of the week. [55 days = 40 days + a week of preparatory fast/ King's fast + Passion week.
On the first Sunday of the great lent, our church also remind us to focus on our heavenly belongings and not on what we have. In the gospel of Matthew 6:19-21, it teaches us to let go on our earthly possessions, and to keep a simple eye. What will we do with all our possessions when we go to heaven? We will not have any use of it however much money we have. God teaches us however to focus on what we have on Earth. He has promised us a place in heaven, which is greater than anything we could ever want on earth. On this Sunday, we also are taught not to care about what comes tomorrow, as God will guide us there, as is mentioned in Matthew 6:26.
We need to have faith in the Lord that he will protect us, and as long as we go in his name, no trouble will occur to us. The first theme teaches us about the incarnation; that God came down from Heaven, became man in Bethlehem through the Holy Virgin Mary and by the operation of the Holy Spirit.
God came down from Heaven to teach us that he loves us and therefore we should love one another. Only in the person and work of Jesus Christ can we find God, His love and eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Glory to be God!
Comments(2)
Robel says
March 2, 2017 at 4:43 pmSelam Egziabhier msakum ykun yehwat. Nezi ketedalwu Egziabhier sle zebqakum kbrin misganan neau ykun. If you guys can add messanger on the sharing section that would be helpful and easy to share since most people use it including myself. God bless.Thank you
Solomon S says
March 26, 2017 at 6:57 pmSelam Robel Hawina, I hope you are well throught the grace of God. Yes we are working on adding the messanger app incorporated with the other sharing apps. I will let inform you once it’s done. Thank you for informing us! God Bless!
Church Season
Beginning on the 25th of Sene and lasting until the 26th of Meskerem of the Ge’ez calendar is the Rainy Season or Zemene Kiremt. During this time we remember God’s provision of food to all creatures. As it’s written in the Psalms 147:8-9 “Who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow upon the mountains. He gives to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.” The rainy season is symbolic to the age that human beings spend on earth. This season is sometimes referred to as winter. St Paul writes in 2nd Timothy 4:21 “Do your best to get here before winter.” During the winter season we see the farmer going through all hardships to prepare his farm during this season. He has faith that he will get adequate rainfall for his crops so he labors tirelessly during this season. This refers to our lives, our faith should be like the farmer--we must tirelessly labor on earth and have faith that God will provide. Our work, though, is for the heavenly kingdom. David in his Psalm 126:5-6 ties this meaning beautifully, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Also our church teaches the formation of rain happens through the evaporation and condensation process. This was clearly stated by Aba Giorgis ze-Gasīcha around 14th century AD (G.C) in his famous book Se’atat, “He who contains the waters, scatters the thin fog. He raises the water from the lakes and brings it down from the heights of the sky.” All the readings of this season show how God provides for His creation.
Latest Articles
Welcome H.G. Abune Elias!!
The bishops ordained by the 5th patriarch of Eritrea H.H Pope Qierlos the 1st have all gone out to their dioceses.They arrived to their respective dioceses with great honor and…
How to Benefit Spiritually from Pascha (Passion) Week
on April 23, 2022NICODEMUS AND THE NEW BIRTH
on April 11, 2022Faith & Spiritual Knowledge
on December 6, 2021Abune Inqu Birhan | Pearl of Light
on November 8, 2021Upcoming Events
Most Viewed Q&A
50 people found this faq useful.
37 people found this faq useful.
37 people found this faq useful.
23 people found this faq useful.
23 people found this faq useful.
21 people found this faq useful.
12 people found this faq useful.
11 people found this faq useful.
9 people found this faq useful.
8 people found this faq useful.
8 people found this faq useful.
8 people found this faq useful.
8 people found this faq useful.
8 people found this faq useful.
7 people found this faq useful.
7 people found this faq useful.
6 people found this faq useful.
5 people found this faq useful.
5 people found this faq useful.
5 people found this faq useful.
5 people found this faq useful.
5 people found this faq useful.
4 people found this faq useful.
4 people found this faq useful.
3 people found this faq useful.
3 people found this faq useful.
3 people found this faq useful.
3 people found this faq useful.