Touring Addis Ababa

After I ate a breakfast of tea, eggs, and toast with marmalade at the hotel, Paulos and I met for a bit of sight-seeing on Sunday. Sunday is the weekly holiday in Ethiopia, although just like on weekends in the U.S., some people still have to work to keep things going.

Construction With Wooden Scaffolding My Friend Paulos in Addis Abbaba African Union Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
We walked past the heavily guarded and high-walled Presidential Palace over to the United Nations building near Menelik II Square, then past the African Union headquarters, and to the Kidus Istifanos (St. Stephen’s church) where my guidebook says there is a mosaic over the entrance of St. Stephen’s martyrdom. Actually, the mosaic is of the stoning of Mary Magdalene (known here as Miryam), but there is also a painting of St. Stephen’s martyrdom on the front wall of the church covered with a lace curtain. His martyrdom is not, however, depicted with arrows in the traditional European fashion.

Kidus Istifanos Church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sewer System in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Update: Thanks to my friend Steve who points out that St. Stephen was stoned and it was St. Sebastian who was martyred by arrows.

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