St. George's Cathedral, Addis Ababa (ቅዱሥ ጊዮርጊስ ቤተክርስትያን)

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 Saint George church is located in the heart of Addis Ababa, in

the place called Arada (that is why it is often referred as

Arada Giorgis).

Emperor Menelik II dealt a crushing defeat on the forces of

Italy on St. George’s day in 1896 at Adowa. In gratitude to

saint George, who has served as a Patron Saint of the Empire,

and of the Armed Forces, Emperor Menelik commissioned the

construction of a church in his honor in the heart of Addis

Ababa. The Italian prisoners of war assisted in the construction

of the church as their government negotiated the terms of

peace and their release.

The Church of Saint George was where Empress Zewditu was

crowned Empress of Ethiopia in 1917, and where Emperor Haile

Selassie was crowned in 1930. An equestrian statue of Emperor

Menelik II stands in Menelik Square outside the main gates of

the church. It was erected by Emperor Haile Selassie on the

eve of his coronation in 1930. Also at the church is a large

bell which was sent as a gift from Czar Alexander III of

Russia to mark the dedication of the church.

During the Italian Fascist invasion of Ethiopia, an attempt was

made on the life of the Italian Vice-Roy Graziani and in

retaliation, the fascists launched a brutal massacre in Addis

Ababa and during the course of this slaughter, they entered

and torched the church of Saint George. Although the

structure of the Cathedral survived the flames, the interior

was completely gutted.

Following his restoration to the throne in 1941, Emperor Haile

Selassie had the church restored, and new murals were painted

by the famous Ethiopian artists, including Maître Artiste

Afework Tekle.

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