MRI machine at #Ethiopia’s largest referral hospital Tikur Anbessa out of service for over five years, #AAU says
Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences has disclosed that the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (#MRI) machine at #Tikur_Anbessa Specialized Hospital has been nonfunctional for more than five years, placing significant strain on patients seeking advanced diagnostic services.
The College’s Chief Executive Director, Dr. Abdurazaq Ahmed, told state media the prolonged shutdown has created a heavy burden on patients referred to the hospital for specialized care, particularly those requiring advanced imaging as part of diagnosis and treatment.
According to Dr. Abdurazaq, the high cost of procuring and installing an MRI machine has limited the hospital’s ability to address the problem using its own resources. However, he noted that efforts are underway to resolve the issue...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0MCKkrSrm9AWaqkk1U2r365Sc9dRR7CPpYdNFP5WbPktZVDUv2nVKLaAVw1Y1Eee1l
Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences has disclosed that the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (#MRI) machine at #Tikur_Anbessa Specialized Hospital has been nonfunctional for more than five years, placing significant strain on patients seeking advanced diagnostic services.
The College’s Chief Executive Director, Dr. Abdurazaq Ahmed, told state media the prolonged shutdown has created a heavy burden on patients referred to the hospital for specialized care, particularly those requiring advanced imaging as part of diagnosis and treatment.
According to Dr. Abdurazaq, the high cost of procuring and installing an MRI machine has limited the hospital’s ability to address the problem using its own resources. However, he noted that efforts are underway to resolve the issue...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0MCKkrSrm9AWaqkk1U2r365Sc9dRR7CPpYdNFP5WbPktZVDUv2nVKLaAVw1Y1Eee1l
❤5
#Hargeisa sees mass rally in support of #Somaliland–#UAE partnership
Thousands of people gathered in the capital Hargeisa on Thursday afternoon, waving flags and chanting pro-UAE slogans in a mass rally expressing public support for the United Arab Emirates and its partnership with Somaliland.
The demonstration began at around 4:00 p.m. local time and continued through the evening until 9:00 p.m., according to witnesses, with crowds filling major streets and public spaces across the city.
“The UAE is our strongest partner and has proven it through real investment,” said Mohamed Ahmed, one of the demonstrators. “This turnout shows how much the people value that relationship.”
Somaliland officials say the UAE is the country’s largest foreign investor, backing major infrastructure projects including Berbera Port and the Berbera–Wajaale corridor, which links the Red Sea coast to Ethiopia ...
https://www.horndiplomat.com/somaliland-rally-highlights-growing-public-support-for-uae-partnership/
Thousands of people gathered in the capital Hargeisa on Thursday afternoon, waving flags and chanting pro-UAE slogans in a mass rally expressing public support for the United Arab Emirates and its partnership with Somaliland.
The demonstration began at around 4:00 p.m. local time and continued through the evening until 9:00 p.m., according to witnesses, with crowds filling major streets and public spaces across the city.
“The UAE is our strongest partner and has proven it through real investment,” said Mohamed Ahmed, one of the demonstrators. “This turnout shows how much the people value that relationship.”
Somaliland officials say the UAE is the country’s largest foreign investor, backing major infrastructure projects including Berbera Port and the Berbera–Wajaale corridor, which links the Red Sea coast to Ethiopia ...
https://www.horndiplomat.com/somaliland-rally-highlights-growing-public-support-for-uae-partnership/
❤5👎1
#Saudi_Arabia in talks with #Egypt, #Somalia on military coalition
Saudi Arabia is finalizing an agreement on a new military coalition with Somalia and Egypt, part of its bid to curtail the United Arab Emirates’ regional influence.
Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Saudi Arabia soon to finalize the deal, which aims to foster more strategic collaboration on Red Sea security as well as deeper military cooperation, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
Somalia this week canceled security and ports agreements with the UAE, accusing the Gulf state of violating its sovereignty by extracting a Yemeni separatist leader through its territory.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-16/saudi-arabia-in-talks-with-egypt-somalia-on-military-coalition
Saudi Arabia is finalizing an agreement on a new military coalition with Somalia and Egypt, part of its bid to curtail the United Arab Emirates’ regional influence.
Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Saudi Arabia soon to finalize the deal, which aims to foster more strategic collaboration on Red Sea security as well as deeper military cooperation, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
Somalia this week canceled security and ports agreements with the UAE, accusing the Gulf state of violating its sovereignty by extracting a Yemeni separatist leader through its territory.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-16/saudi-arabia-in-talks-with-egypt-somalia-on-military-coalition
❤3
#Ethiopia: Interview: From #OFC to a New Party
“Boycotting elections is handing the field to the ruling party for free; the political reality of #Oromia demands determined participation, not abandonment of the field.”
— Former OFC leader Desta Dinka
Legal professional Desta Dinka, who previously served as Chairperson and Secretary General of the Joint Council of Ethiopian Political Parties, Deputy Secretary General of Medrek party, and an Executive Committee member of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), has severed his long-standing ties with the OFC and launched a new nationwide political party.
Desta began his political career in 2006 with the Oromo National Congress (#ONC). In 2010, he joined the Oromo People’s Congress (#OPC) in protest against what he described as the party leadership’s alignment with the government. When the OPC and the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (#OFDM) merged to form the OFC in 2012, he played a ....
Read the Interview: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54599
“Boycotting elections is handing the field to the ruling party for free; the political reality of #Oromia demands determined participation, not abandonment of the field.”
— Former OFC leader Desta Dinka
Legal professional Desta Dinka, who previously served as Chairperson and Secretary General of the Joint Council of Ethiopian Political Parties, Deputy Secretary General of Medrek party, and an Executive Committee member of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), has severed his long-standing ties with the OFC and launched a new nationwide political party.
Desta began his political career in 2006 with the Oromo National Congress (#ONC). In 2010, he joined the Oromo People’s Congress (#OPC) in protest against what he described as the party leadership’s alignment with the government. When the OPC and the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (#OFDM) merged to form the OFC in 2012, he played a ....
Read the Interview: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54599
❤1
News: #EU urges de-escalation between #Ethiopia, #Eritrea amid Red Sea tensions, rejects #Somaliland recognition
The European Union has urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to ease rising tensions through diplomacy and economic cooperation, offering support to prevent conflict as concerns grow over security in the #Red_Sea and the Horn of Africa.
Speaking to journalists in Addis Abeba on 15 January 2026, Olaf Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (#EEAS) for political affairs, said disputes between states are “best resolved through diplomacy in good faith,” warning that the region “has had enough of war.”
Skoog, who met with senior Ethiopian officials including President Taye Atske Selassie and Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos (PhD), said the EU is willing to act as an “honest broker” in de-escalation efforts.
Drawing on Europe’s experience in overcoming historic conflicts through integration and economic cooperation, he ....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54602
The European Union has urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to ease rising tensions through diplomacy and economic cooperation, offering support to prevent conflict as concerns grow over security in the #Red_Sea and the Horn of Africa.
Speaking to journalists in Addis Abeba on 15 January 2026, Olaf Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (#EEAS) for political affairs, said disputes between states are “best resolved through diplomacy in good faith,” warning that the region “has had enough of war.”
Skoog, who met with senior Ethiopian officials including President Taye Atske Selassie and Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos (PhD), said the EU is willing to act as an “honest broker” in de-escalation efforts.
Drawing on Europe’s experience in overcoming historic conflicts through integration and economic cooperation, he ....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54602
❤4
#AS_Editorial: From Promise to Precarity: #Ethiopia’s foreign policy drift and the imperative of strategic reversal
When Ethiopia’s prime minister received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, it reflected global optimism that one of the Horn of Africa’s pivotal states had chosen institutional peace over militarized politics, reconciliation over coercion, and regional cooperation over zero-sum rivalry. That optimism has since evaporated.
The 2018–2019 peace agreement with #Eritrea, which underpinned the Nobel citation, was never anchored in constitutional processes, parliamentary oversight, or public accountability.
Ethiopia must abandon personalized, ad hoc diplomacy in favor of institutional, predictable, and law-bound foreign policy instruments. Ethiopia’s descent from Nobel promise to regional precarity is not inevitable. But reversing it requires confronting uncomfortable truths......
Read the Editorial: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54608
When Ethiopia’s prime minister received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, it reflected global optimism that one of the Horn of Africa’s pivotal states had chosen institutional peace over militarized politics, reconciliation over coercion, and regional cooperation over zero-sum rivalry. That optimism has since evaporated.
The 2018–2019 peace agreement with #Eritrea, which underpinned the Nobel citation, was never anchored in constitutional processes, parliamentary oversight, or public accountability.
Ethiopia must abandon personalized, ad hoc diplomacy in favor of institutional, predictable, and law-bound foreign policy instruments. Ethiopia’s descent from Nobel promise to regional precarity is not inevitable. But reversing it requires confronting uncomfortable truths......
Read the Editorial: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54608
❤2
#Ethiopia: #Tigray Interim Administration rejects Tselemti return model, reaffirms commitment to IDPs and territorial claims
President of the Tigray Interim Administration, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, has rejected the approach used to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons (#IDPs) to #Tselemti, describing it as counterproductive and warning that it should not be replicated elsewhere.
Speaking in Shire Endaselasie during celebrations marking the Feast of the Trinity, Lt. Gen. Tadesse said the experience in Tselemti had become “a conspiracy that is causing Tigray to lose,” according to local media reports.
He stressed that, even in the name of peace, the administration would not abandon efforts to ensure the return of displaced persons or relinquish what it considers Tigray’s territorial claims.
In December 2025, Addis Standard reported that IDPs returning to the war-affected districts of Tselemti, Laelay Tselemti, and Mai Tsebri in ....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54613
President of the Tigray Interim Administration, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, has rejected the approach used to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons (#IDPs) to #Tselemti, describing it as counterproductive and warning that it should not be replicated elsewhere.
Speaking in Shire Endaselasie during celebrations marking the Feast of the Trinity, Lt. Gen. Tadesse said the experience in Tselemti had become “a conspiracy that is causing Tigray to lose,” according to local media reports.
He stressed that, even in the name of peace, the administration would not abandon efforts to ensure the return of displaced persons or relinquish what it considers Tigray’s territorial claims.
In December 2025, Addis Standard reported that IDPs returning to the war-affected districts of Tselemti, Laelay Tselemti, and Mai Tsebri in ....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54613
❤5🙈1
News: #Trump puts GERD at “top” of his ‘agenda,’ offers to restart U.S. mediation in letter to #Egypt, CCd to #Saudi_Arabia
US President Donald J. Trump has offered to restart United States–led mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile waters and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (#GERD), describing the staus as “truly understandable” but warning against the risk of military confrontation.
In a letter dated 16 January and addressed to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Trump said resolving tensions around the GERD was “at the very top of my agenda,” linking the issue to his broader push for “lasting peace in the #Middle_East and #Africa.”
“I am ready to restart U.S. mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to responsibly resolve the question of ‘The Nile Water Sharing’ once and for all,” Trump wrote, adding that his team understood “the deep significance of the Nile River to Egypt and its people.”
The letter also reflects Trump’s views that...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54617
US President Donald J. Trump has offered to restart United States–led mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile waters and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (#GERD), describing the staus as “truly understandable” but warning against the risk of military confrontation.
In a letter dated 16 January and addressed to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Trump said resolving tensions around the GERD was “at the very top of my agenda,” linking the issue to his broader push for “lasting peace in the #Middle_East and #Africa.”
“I am ready to restart U.S. mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia to responsibly resolve the question of ‘The Nile Water Sharing’ once and for all,” Trump wrote, adding that his team understood “the deep significance of the Nile River to Egypt and its people.”
The letter also reflects Trump’s views that...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54617
❤5
News: #IMF approves $261 million disbursement to #Ethiopia, cites stronger macroeconomic performance
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the immediate release of US$261 million to Ethiopia under its Extended Credit Facility (#ECF), following the completion of the fourth review of the country’s reform program. The decision, the Fund said, reflects “stronger-than-anticipated macroeconomic outcomes and overall performance broadly in line with program commitments.”
In a statement issued on 16 January 2026, the IMF said the Executive Board’s decision under the 48-month ECF arrangement will support Ethiopia’s balance of payments and fiscal financing needs. The disbursement brings total funding released under the program to approximately US$2.183 billion (SDR 1.6 billion).
To strengthen the foreign exchange market, the IMF introduced a new performance criterion setting a zero limit on foreign exchange intervention outside of auctions.
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54630
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the immediate release of US$261 million to Ethiopia under its Extended Credit Facility (#ECF), following the completion of the fourth review of the country’s reform program. The decision, the Fund said, reflects “stronger-than-anticipated macroeconomic outcomes and overall performance broadly in line with program commitments.”
In a statement issued on 16 January 2026, the IMF said the Executive Board’s decision under the 48-month ECF arrangement will support Ethiopia’s balance of payments and fiscal financing needs. The disbursement brings total funding released under the program to approximately US$2.183 billion (SDR 1.6 billion).
To strengthen the foreign exchange market, the IMF introduced a new performance criterion setting a zero limit on foreign exchange intervention outside of auctions.
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54630
👎2❤1👍1💯1
News: #Arena_Tigray party denies reports of joining opposition coalition seeking participation in national dialogue
Arena Tigray has denied reports claiming it is part of a coalition of opposition political parties in Tigray seeking to participate in #Ethiopia’s national dialogue process, describing the reports as “incorrect.”
Amdom Gebreslassie, chairperson of Arena Tigray, told Addis Standard that recent media reports alleging the party’s involvement in a coalition engaging with the national dialogue are false. “Arena Tigray is neither part of a coalition nor has it agreed to participate in the national dialogue process,” he said.
Amdom added that Arena, together with parties in the #Medrek Coalition, had previously decided not to take part in the process, citing concerns over the credibility and impartiality of members of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (#ENDC). “We believe they serve the ruling party,” he said.
Arena Tigray’s clarification...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54611
Arena Tigray has denied reports claiming it is part of a coalition of opposition political parties in Tigray seeking to participate in #Ethiopia’s national dialogue process, describing the reports as “incorrect.”
Amdom Gebreslassie, chairperson of Arena Tigray, told Addis Standard that recent media reports alleging the party’s involvement in a coalition engaging with the national dialogue are false. “Arena Tigray is neither part of a coalition nor has it agreed to participate in the national dialogue process,” he said.
Amdom added that Arena, together with parties in the #Medrek Coalition, had previously decided not to take part in the process, citing concerns over the credibility and impartiality of members of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (#ENDC). “We believe they serve the ruling party,” he said.
Arena Tigray’s clarification...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54611
❤5👎1
#Commentary: National Interests vs Political Pretense: Deconstructing regional opposition to #Somaliland’s recognition
In late 2025, #Israel recognized Somaliland, a self-declared independent region in northern #Somalia, prompting condemnation from 21 #Arab, Islamic, and #African states, which called it a “grave violation of international law and the #UN Charter.” However, Gulaid Yusuf Idaan argues that opposition is driven by “narrow national interests, deep-seated geopolitical anxieties, and defensive reactions to the potential restructuring of the existing regional order.”
He contends that Somaliland has been reduced to a “bureaucratic abstraction, a file that needs to be handled but not a cause that needs to be comprehended.”
Idaan emphasizes that Somaliland faces resistance due to its success as “a small political entity that has achieved relative stability, participatory governance, and institutional functionality.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54574
In late 2025, #Israel recognized Somaliland, a self-declared independent region in northern #Somalia, prompting condemnation from 21 #Arab, Islamic, and #African states, which called it a “grave violation of international law and the #UN Charter.” However, Gulaid Yusuf Idaan argues that opposition is driven by “narrow national interests, deep-seated geopolitical anxieties, and defensive reactions to the potential restructuring of the existing regional order.”
He contends that Somaliland has been reduced to a “bureaucratic abstraction, a file that needs to be handled but not a cause that needs to be comprehended.”
Idaan emphasizes that Somaliland faces resistance due to its success as “a small political entity that has achieved relative stability, participatory governance, and institutional functionality.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54574
❤3
#EU urges leaders to exercise responsibility amid #Ethiopia–#Eritrea tensions
The European Union has called on Ethiopia and Eritrea to ease rising tensions through diplomacy and cooperation, warning against a return to conflict in the Horn of Africa. Speaking to journalists in Addis Ababa, Olaf Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, said disputes should be resolved “through diplomacy in good faith,” as concerns grow over Red Sea security.
Addressing escalating rhetoric between Addis Ababa and Asmara, particularly over access to the Red Sea, Skoog urged both sides to step back from confrontational language and pursue cooperative approaches. He said the EU is ready to support de-escalation efforts and act as an “honest broker.”
On Somaliland, Skoog reaffirmed the EU’s support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting recognition and warning against actions that could further destabilize the region.
Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsYxNFHqJgM
The European Union has called on Ethiopia and Eritrea to ease rising tensions through diplomacy and cooperation, warning against a return to conflict in the Horn of Africa. Speaking to journalists in Addis Ababa, Olaf Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, said disputes should be resolved “through diplomacy in good faith,” as concerns grow over Red Sea security.
Addressing escalating rhetoric between Addis Ababa and Asmara, particularly over access to the Red Sea, Skoog urged both sides to step back from confrontational language and pursue cooperative approaches. He said the EU is ready to support de-escalation efforts and act as an “honest broker.”
On Somaliland, Skoog reaffirmed the EU’s support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting recognition and warning against actions that could further destabilize the region.
Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsYxNFHqJgM
YouTube
EU urges leaders to exercise responsibility amid Ethiopia–Eritrea tensions
The European Union has called on Ethiopia and Eritrea to ease rising tensions through diplomacy and cooperation, warning against a return to conflict in the Horn of Africa. Speaking to journalists in Addis Ababa, Olaf Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General of the…
❤3👍1
News: Schools remain closed as IDPs shelter in classrooms; refugee camps face access constraints in Gambella
Government schools in parts of Gambella Region remain closed as thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) continue to shelter in classrooms, while access to refugee camps around Itang has been severely constrained, a regional official told Addis Standard.
A senior regional government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said government schools in Gambella city, Itang, and Abol have yet to reopen, contradicting earlier statements by regional authorities that classes would resume on 5 January 2026.
According to the official, many schools remain occupied by IDPs whose homes were burned or looted during recent violence, preventing the resumption of classes. “Only a limited number of private schools have reopened,” he said, adding that water and electricity services in Itang remain cut off, further complicating....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54605
Government schools in parts of Gambella Region remain closed as thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) continue to shelter in classrooms, while access to refugee camps around Itang has been severely constrained, a regional official told Addis Standard.
A senior regional government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said government schools in Gambella city, Itang, and Abol have yet to reopen, contradicting earlier statements by regional authorities that classes would resume on 5 January 2026.
According to the official, many schools remain occupied by IDPs whose homes were burned or looted during recent violence, preventing the resumption of classes. “Only a limited number of private schools have reopened,” he said, adding that water and electricity services in Itang remain cut off, further complicating....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54605
❤3
News: Survivor’s account sheds new light on deadly Safari attack that killed #Turkish businessman in #Ethiopia
New details about a deadly attack in southwestern Ethiopia that killed two Turkish nationals and an Ethiopian driver have emerged after a survivor shared his experience on Instagram.
The attack occurred on January 12 in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, near the town of Tum, when armed assailants opened fire on a convoy of vehicles on a safari trip.
Survivor Tarık Hotamışlıgil described how gunfire erupted suddenly, forcing the group to scatter.
He said the tires of the vehicle carrying Erdoğan Akbulak, a leading Turkish businessman and owner of Silkar Mining, and Cengizhan Güngör were struck, leaving them unable to escape. The group’s Ethiopian driver was also killed.
“We went to Ethiopia to experience a new culture and take photos together,” ...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0DrjTVtJ988heR1EX3zXBLvkDYXKKCNpLKBJdYtDY6QB3STy27hhSRcTZinJbQvfGl
New details about a deadly attack in southwestern Ethiopia that killed two Turkish nationals and an Ethiopian driver have emerged after a survivor shared his experience on Instagram.
The attack occurred on January 12 in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region, near the town of Tum, when armed assailants opened fire on a convoy of vehicles on a safari trip.
Survivor Tarık Hotamışlıgil described how gunfire erupted suddenly, forcing the group to scatter.
He said the tires of the vehicle carrying Erdoğan Akbulak, a leading Turkish businessman and owner of Silkar Mining, and Cengizhan Güngör were struck, leaving them unable to escape. The group’s Ethiopian driver was also killed.
“We went to Ethiopia to experience a new culture and take photos together,” ...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0DrjTVtJ988heR1EX3zXBLvkDYXKKCNpLKBJdYtDY6QB3STy27hhSRcTZinJbQvfGl
❤1😭1
Weekly Horn of Africa Briefing: Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia & Regional Politics
https://youtu.be/eIYIa0ar3HA?si=a1rswRZxqQ0gF556
https://youtu.be/eIYIa0ar3HA?si=a1rswRZxqQ0gF556
YouTube
Horn of Africa in Focus: GERD Back on Agenda, Egypt Calls Sudan’s Unity a “Red Line”
This week in the Horn of Africa:
Sudan’s government returns to Khartoum as war passes 1,000 days
Egypt declares Sudan’s unity a “red line” amid regional tensions
Trump offers to restart U.S. mediation on Ethiopia’s GERD dispute
Uganda election disrupted…
Sudan’s government returns to Khartoum as war passes 1,000 days
Egypt declares Sudan’s unity a “red line” amid regional tensions
Trump offers to restart U.S. mediation on Ethiopia’s GERD dispute
Uganda election disrupted…
❤2
In_Pictures: #Epiphany celebrations across #Ethiopia
Epiphany (Timket) celebrations are taking place across Ethiopia, as followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church mark the festival in accordance with long-standing religious traditions.
Observances began on the eve of the Katara ceremony yesterday, with clergy and congregants participating in the commemoration.
Photo: Social media
Epiphany (Timket) celebrations are taking place across Ethiopia, as followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church mark the festival in accordance with long-standing religious traditions.
Observances began on the eve of the Katara ceremony yesterday, with clergy and congregants participating in the commemoration.
Photo: Social media
❤7