Tabot in the Ethiopian Tradition1

chapter 1 Tabot in the Ethiopian Tradition1

1 Tabot in EOTC

The presence of a tabot is obligatory in every Church of the EOTC. Nöldeke (1910: 37, 42) says that the term tabot (ታቦት፡) is considered to have been borrowed into Ethiopic from Jewish Aramaic (tēḇūṯā/tēḇōṯa). To the contrary, Rodinson (1960: 64–68) argues that it was borrowed from Arabic. ‘In Ethiopic’ states Heldman (2010: 802), ‘the term has two meanings, referring both to the altar tablet or slab that rests upon the altar chest (መንበረ፡ ታቦት፡); occasionally, it may designate also the altar chest itself. In the Ethiopic Bible, it refers both to the OT Ark of Noah and the Ark of the Covenant in which the Tablets of Law were placed’.2 The tabot is the case containing the ṣǝllat (ጽላት፡, singular ṣǝlle ጽሌ፡)3 ‘slab, tablet’. Mǝśwaʿ (ምሥዋዕ፡) is used in reference to the altar as focal point of the Liturgy; in principle it is a fixed altar, whereas the tabot is a mobile one. Ṣǝlle is a tablet of wooden or marble substance,4 on which the name of the Lord and the dedicated saint’s name are engraved. It is in the likeness of the two Tablets put in the Ark of the Covenant. The MäṣḥafäSenodos prescribes the presence of two altars (ክልኤቱ፡ ምሥዋዕ፡) in every church: one which is portable, like the stone of children of the Israel

1 About the tradition of tabot (tablet) in other churches, cf. Raes (1951: 59–70) and Gorgoryos (1998/1999 [ec 1991]: 95). Libän Makonnǝn (2000/2001 [ec 1993]: 83) states that altar in the Coptic Church is made from clay or stone in quadrilateral form. A tabot with a cross model is engraved over it and the name of the Lord saying ‘ALPHA and OMEGA’ is inscribed on it. Finally, the Greek acronym of Lord Jesus: IH XP YC OC, is written in the periphery of the tabot. 2 See also Dillmann 1865: 560; Leslau 1987: 570. 3 Cf. the statement of Ayalew Tamiru (1961/1962 [ec 1953]: 87) on this issue: ጽሌ ማለት በግእዙ የነጠላነት፣ ጽላት የብዛት ስም ነው፤ ነገር ግን በልማድ እንደ አንድ ኾኖ ይነገራል፡፡ እንዲሁም በጽላት እና በታቦት መካከል የሁኔታና የአነጋገር ልዩነት ሲኖር ልማደኛው ሰው ‘ታቦተ ጽዮን ጽላተ ሙሴ ናት’ በማለት ሲናገር ይሰማል። ‘ṣǝlle in Gǝʿǝz is a singular and ṣǝllat is a plural noun; but it is traditionally used as a singular. Even though there is a contextual and lexical difference between ṣǝllat and tabot, some [lit. ordinary people] say ‘Tabotä Ṣəyon is ṣǝllatä Muse’’. 4 The ṣǝlle is made of stone or a hard wood such as sycamore, although there are records of royal tabotat made of gold. Cf. Grierson and Munro-Hay 1999: 253; Basset 1882: 313; Getatchew 1988: 16, 2006: 62; Agostinos Tedla 1994: 131–157; Libän 2000/2001 [ec 1993]: 19; Pankhurst 1987–1988: 28–32.

© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2015 | doi: 10.1163/9789004297180_003 10 chapter 1 that was carried from place to place in the wilderness, and another that is not removed from its place.5 In fact, many churches possess more than one tabot; only one of them, however, is the main tabot and this gives the church its name and the annual feast of the tabot is celebrated accordingly.6 According to the canon of the EOTC, the presence of a tabot7 is obligatory in every Church.8 No sacrifice can be offered without a tabot.9 Only a bishop10 can consecrate a tabot.11 There is a ritual of the consecration of the tabot12 in the EOTC. It is one of the most exotic elements of Ethiopian ecclesiastical practice—a phenomenon exclusive to Ethiopia, a unique ritual object cen- tral to all church services. Märḥa Krǝstos (2002/2003 [ec 1995]: 15), referring to the song of St. Yared from the Dǝggwa, notes about the glory and power of tabot: ወአንቲኒ፡ ታቦት፡ እምኀበኒ፡ መጻእኪ፡ ወኀበኒ፡ ተሐውሪ፡ መድኃኒተ፡ ኩኒ። ‘And

5 Cf. Bausi 1995: 300 (text); Guidi 1897: 16; Paulos Tzadua 1968: 11. 6 See Fritsch 2001: 388; also Heldman 2010: 802–803. For general description of tabot, cf. Heyer 1971: 39–45. 7 ‘The tabot is a symbol of the grave of Christ’ (Grierson and Munro-Hay 1999: 253). ‘The tabot itself is a mystery’, Munro-Hay (2006: 27) citing C.H. Walker (1933: 95) who in turn cites an Amhara informant. 8 Cf. Hyatt 1928: 121–122. 9 ‘It is the tabot that is consecrated, rather than the church itself’ (Grierson and Munro-Hay 1999: 252, Munro-Hay 2006: 28). According to EOTC canon, however, the Church also must be consecrated. If not, it is impossible to consider it as a Church, it will simply be an ordinary house. There is a special prayer and solemn for the dedication of a church and consecration of a tabot. 10 An archimandrite (ቆሞስ፡) can also consecrate a church; however, a tabot can only consecrated by a bishop. Cf. Sergew (1989: 162–164). 11 Beckingham and Huntingford (1961: 545) discuss the form of the prayer for the consecration of a new church and tabot, and a desecrated one. If the tabot is touched by a lay person or by a non-Christian, then it must be reconsecrated by a bishop. For the consecration prayer cf. EMML 4399—Getatchew 1993a: 135–136, EMML 4410—Getatchew 1993a: 140; FǝtḥaNägäśt chapter 1 (edition of Guidi 1897: 17), Märsǝʾe Hazän (1945/1946 [ec 1938]: 355), Sergew (1989: 162–164), Mekarios et al. (1996, 63 (text), 67 (translation)). St. abuna Täklä Haymanot (1215–1313), who was elected as bishop of Ethiopia by the council of Ethiopian scholars and association of clergies (because Egyptian bishops were not able to come to Ethiopia for political reasons and due to Islamic influence), was popular in his miracles and wonders. He traveled to evangelize Ethiopians in all corners. As a result he was given the title ሐዲስ፡ ሐዋርያ፡ ብርሃን፡ ዘኢትዮጵያ፡ ‘New Apostle [and] light of Ethiopia’. As a bishop, he consecrated tabots and ordained priests & deacons. For a detailed account, cf. Taddesse 1972: 160–205; Ḫəruy 1921: 114–117, 144–145. 12 Cf. EMML 1206, ff. 167v–171r (cf. Getatchew 1979: 172–179, here 174–175), also Beckingham and Huntingford 1961: 543–548, here 545.