The Ethiopian religious community and its ancient monastery, Dier es Sultan in Jerusalem from Foundation to 1850s

Abstract

For many centuries the Ethiopian religious community in Jerusalem had been in possession of numerous ancient sites in the Holy Land (i.e. Palestine). In the course of time many of them were taken over by other Christian religious communities established there. At present, it owns seven monasteries inside and outside of Jerusalem, many of which were built recently. These include: the Deir Sultan and St. Filléppos Monastery1 in the Old City of Jerusalem; Däbrä Gännät Kidanä-Méhrät ('monastery of the Covenant of Mercy') in West Jerusalem; a monastery in Jericho; the Holy Trinity Monastery in the River Jordan; Mäsabä Kéddusan Täklä Haymanot Monastery in Bethany (Hal’Azariya’); and the Monastery of Tabotä’Iyäsus (Ark of Jesus) in Bethlehem.2Of all the above monasteries, the most ancient and historically most important is Deir es Sultan. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to show the historical roots to the establishment of the Ethiopian religious community in Jerusalem and the founding of this ancient monastery.