A couple weeks ago at Mount Zion Virgin Mary’s EOTC in sunny (yes, even in early December) South Central Los Angeles, we celebrated the annual Mount Zion holiday; which falls in the ge’ez calendar month of hidar. The young but learned professor of aqwaqwam (extra-eucharistic liturgy) lisane’werq mola, pictured smacking the kebero (afroasiatic kettledrum) and donning the familiar TimTim (white turban) of the debtera, drew many up-and-coming talented students of aqwaqwam to Los Angeles, from parishes across the U.S. to concelebrate the holiday. We started at 1:30am, and ended at 1:30pm. I was late, I arrived at 2:15am. It was easily the best celebration of this holiday I have ever celebrated, and I have celebrated ten in-a-row. Glory to God.
Professor lisane’werq has been in the U.S. for about a month, and if I’m not mistaken, this was the first holiday he was invited to outside of his home parish in The Town. The irony of his arrival, hither and yonder, is that he is seen as an exemplar of tradition, and these two west coast parishes he has graced have a lingering perception of innovation… to put it lightly. Grace abounds in misery. And misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows… Let us return to the former matter.
Zion is the hill in the wilderness, not constructed with human hands, nor directed by the will of man. Zion is our Lady the Holy Virgin Mary, who through being filled with grace, and being overshadowed by the power of the Most High, bore our Lord and Savior. Zion is heaven above.
Rejoice! Sing praises to Him continuously.
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