Debre Sina (monastery)

Debra Sina (Tigrinya: ደብረ ሲና) is a monastery in the highlands of Eritrea near Keren in the Anseba Region. It was the site of the first Holy Communion prepared in the Eritrean Orthodox Church, by the 4th-century bishop Aba Salama. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Africa and the world.[1]

Debre Sina
Location within Eritrea
Monastery information
Established4th century
DioceseEritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Controlled churchesSt. Mary’s Church
People
Founder(s)Frumentius
Architecture
StyleAksumite
Site
LocationAnseba Region
Country Eritrea
Coordinates15.7487796°N 38.6996201°E / 15.7487796; 38.6996201
Public accessYes

The monastery is the site of a pilgrimage by Eritrean Orthodox believers each year in June.[2] The pilgrimage centers on a church above the village where a vision of Mary was said to have been seen by shepherd girls beneath a large boulder. The church is built adjacent to and over the rock where the vision was seen. The pilgrimage includes thousands of ordinary Eritrean believers camping for one night in the village of Debra Sina, singing, drumming, chanting and celebrating Mary.[2]

See also

References

  1. Edward Denison, Edward Paice (2007). Eritrea: The Bradt Travel Guide. p. 187. ISBN 1841621714.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  2. Rahel Tasgedom (2012-06-06). "Debre Sina: Pilgrimage To One Of The Oldest Eritrean Monasteries". Eritrea Ministry of Information. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
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