Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany to mark baptism of Jesus

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Millions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians gathered on Monday at celebrations for Epiphany, locally known as Timkat, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist.

In Batu, a town on the western shore of Lake Dambal (Hora-Dambal) in the Oromia Region, thousands of pilgrims entered the lake waters after priests blessed them, symbolically reenacting baptism and embracing the festival’s themes of purification, renewal, and faith.

In the capital, Addis Ababa, many waited for the tabots, which are symbols of the Ark of the Covenant meant to contain the 10 commandments and are used to consecrate churches. Tabots were ritually carried to nearby public spaces for overnight prayers before being returned to their home churches the next day, surrounded by millions of the faithful in spectacular displays of reverence.

Similar celebrations were held across the country, including inside the 17th century Fasilides Fortress in Gondar, located in the war-torn Amhara region.

Timkat is seen by the faithful as an important religious holiday, nearly as significant as Easter and Christmas. It was inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019.

“We are celebrating the baptism of Jesus Christ, and our hearts are filled with joy,” said Bereket Adugna, 43, who traveled from Addis Ababa with his wife and two children to Batu.

Thousands took part in ceremonies where the tabots were escorted by priests dressed in colorful robes while carrying ceremonial umbrellas from churches to the lakeshores or rives amid chants and hymns.

“For us Ethiopians, Epiphany is an opportunity to share what we have with those who need our help,” said Asnake Dechasa, a deacon, speaking to The Associated Press.

This comes at a challenging time for Ethiopia, as tensions have escalated with neighboring Eritrea and famine continues to worsen. Humanitarian organizations warn that millions of Ethiopians need emergency food aid, amid declining humanitarian support from Western nations.

Holy water is sprayed on Ethiopian Orthodox worshippers, during the celebration of the Ethiopian Epiphany on lake Dembel, in Batu, Ethiopia, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

High priests celebrate Timket, the Ethiopian Epiphany, on the shore of lake Dembel, in Batu, Ethiopia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

An Ethiopian orthodox believer jumps from a boat as faithful celebrate Timket, the Ethiopian Epiphany, on lake Dembel, in Batu, Ethiopia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

Ethiopian orthodox believers ride boats to celebrate Timket, the Ethiopian Epiphany, on lake Dembel, in Batu, Ethiopia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

High priests ride in a boat as faithful celebrate Timket, the Ethiopian Epiphany, on lake Dembel, in Batu, Ethiopia, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

MADRID (AP) — A high-speed train in southern Spain derailed Sunday evening, colliding with another high-speed train, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 150, Spanish authorities reported.

Rescue efforts were still ongoing Monday and officials said the death toll is likely to rise. The accident was the deadliest in Spain since a 2013 crash that killed 80 people when a commuter train hurtled off the rails as it came around a bend.

Here's what to know about the crash:

The derailment happened Sunday at 7:45 p.m. when the tail end of a train carrying 289 passengers on the route from Malaga to the capital, Madrid, went off the rails. It slammed into an incoming train traveling from Madrid to Huelva, another southern city, according to rail operator Adif.

The head of the second train took the brunt of the impact, Transport Minister Óscar Puente said. That collision knocked its first two carriages off the track and sent them plummeting down a 4-meter (13-foot) slope. The collision took place near Adamuz, a town in the province of Cordoba, about 370 kilometers (about 230 miles) south of Madrid.

On Monday morning, Andalusia's regional President Juan Manuel Moreno said authorities were searching the area near the accident for possible bodies.

“The impact was so incredibly violent that we have found bodies hundreds of meters away,” Moreno said.

Explanations about what caused the crash were scant, with an official investigation underway.

Transport Minister Puente called the crash “truly strange” since it happened on a flat stretch of track that had been renovated in May. He said the train that jumped the track was less than 4 years old. That train belonged to the private company Iryo, while the second train, which took the brunt of the impact, belonged to Spain’s public train company, Renfe.

Iryo said in a statement Monday that its train was manufactured in 2022 and passed its latest safety check on Jan. 15.

The Spanish Union of Railway Drivers told the AP that in in August, it sent a letter asking Spain’s national railway operator to investigate flaws on train lines across the country and to reduce speeds at certain points until the tracks were fully repaired. Those recommendations were made for high-speed train lines, including the one where Sunday’s accident took place, the union said.

Álvaro Fernández, the president of Renfe, told Spanish public radio RNE that both trains were traveling well under the speed limit of 250 kph (155 mph) and “human error could be ruled out.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning.

Spain has spent decades investing heavily in high-speed trains. It currently has the largest rail network in Europe for trains traveling over 250 kph, with more than 3,900 kilometers (2,400 miles) of track, according to the International Union of Railways.

The network is a popular, competitively priced and safe mode of transport. Sunday’s accident was the first with deaths on Spain’s high-speed rail network since it opened its first line in 1992.

Emergency crews work alongside one of the trains involved in a train collision, in Adamuz, Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

In this aerial view grab taken from video provided by Guardia Civil, a view of the Iryo train with rescue workers at the scene after a high-speed train collision, near Adamuz, Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Guardia Civil via AP)