Ethiopians celebrate Meskel holiday with pomp, despite recent fighting in Tigray

WELKITE, Ethiopia (AP) — Millions of Christians in Ethiopia gathered to celebrate Meskel, a religious holiday that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman empress Helena in the 4th century, even as fighting continued in the troubled northern region of Tigray.

Meskel holds added significance in Ethiopia, a largely agrarian society, as it marks, along with the Ethiopian New Year, the end of the rainy season and the beginning of spring.

This year’s celebration comes as Ethiopia is once again facing conflict in its far northern and volatile region of Tigray, which has since spilled over into neighboring Amhara and Afar regions. There are fears the fighting could draw in neighboring Eritrea as a proxy actor.

Kibrom Yohannes had traveled from Denmark to mark the holiday in Adigrat in Tigray and celebrate with his extended family. But his flight to the troubled region was suddenly canceled after a conflict he had feared erupted between Ethiopian government troops and forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

Instead, he came to the southwestern town of Welkite to celebrate with strangers while worrying about his family in Tigray.

“My elderly mother is in Tigray, along with my wife, who is visiting, and our extended family. I had not seen most of them for five years, and I had brought diabetes medication for my mother. Now, with the interruption of flights, I am worried about her condition worsening,” he told The Associated Press as he celebrated Meskel around a bonfire.

Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Meskel is celebrated with added fervor in the south of the country, with hundreds of thousands returning to their home regions to observe the holiday with friends and family.

Teklemariam Sahlemariam, a Toronto-based lawyer visiting Welkite for the second year, said he had seen fewer visitors this year but was nevertheless overwhelmed by the celebrations, which were filled with pomp and pageantry.

In Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, thousands of people gathered in Meskel Square, where they prayed before a huge bonfire was lit.

For many, Meskel remains a sacred annual holy day, celebrated on Sept. 27 and 28 as a deeply cherished feast for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The celebration is marked by traditional rituals, including the lighting of the bonfire and, in some communities, the slaughtering of animals.

“The Holy Cross is the powerful instrument through which our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, conquered sin and death, triumphing through His resurrection,” the faithful say in prayers and religious observances marking the feast.

“Peace is essential for everything; without it, we can neither celebrate our holidays nor engage in meaningful dialogue,” said Fikreab Lebeza, 22, an Orthodox Church deacon.

Many Ethiopians are offering prayers for peace this year amid renewed fears of war and conflict following the Tigray war, which ended in 2022 after killing thousands and displacing more than a million people.

“Peace is vital for our country. As a people deeply rooted in faith and values, we Ethiopians should offer earnest prayers for peace during sacred celebrations such as Meskel. I, too, have come here today to pray and ask God for peace to reign over our nation,” said Sara Dinkayehu, 43, a merchant in Addis Ababa.

People chant during celebrations for the Orthodox holiday of Meskel, an annual holiday celebrating the discovery of the True Cross in the fourth century by the Roman Empress Helena, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

People chant as the bonfire lights during celebrations for the Orthodox holiday of Meskel, an annual holiday celebrating the discovery of the True Cross in the fourth century by the Roman Empress Helena, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

Members of Ethiopian Federal police march band look on during celebrations for the Orthodox holiday of Meskel, an annual holiday celebrating the discovery of the True Cross in the fourth century by the Roman Empress Helena, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

Members of an Orthodox choir perform during celebrations for the Orthodox holiday of Meskel, an annual holiday celebrating the discovery of the True Cross in the fourth century by the Roman Empress Helena, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

Members of an Orthodox choir perform during celebrations for the Orthodox holiday of Meskel, an annual holiday celebrating the discovery of the True Cross in the fourth century by the Roman Empress Helena, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Amanuel Sileshi)

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Heavy rain and powerful winds are expected to bring flash floods and extreme surf to the Hawaiian Islands over the weekend as Hurricane Nolo bears down on areas still recovering from previous storms.

Nolo was churning slowly south of Hawaii's Big Island on Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph). The storm's center was about 145 miles (235 kilometers) south of Hawaii's southernmost point and could strengthen into a potentially life-threatening and catastrophic storm through the weekend.

Forecasters warned of possible flooding and mudslides, with parts of the Big Island expected to see rainfall totals up to 20 inches (51 centimeters). Heavy rainfall also was expected on Hawaii's other islands.

“Don’t venture out if you don’t have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds. We can have trees and power lines down,” Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Friday.

The humanitarian nonprofit group CORE and other partners spent the week packing and shipping supplies like camp stoves and hygiene products by air cargo from Oahu to the Big Island for a community relief hub that has been active since August's Hurricane Lala.

Residents are still recovering from Lala, which produced heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep around 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.

President Donald Trump on Friday approved an emergency declaration for the state of Hawaii, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance from across the federal government and provide funding support for emergency measures.

Hawaii officials told residents to put together emergency kits, and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating hundreds of Hawaii National Guard members.

Hawaii County officials on the Big Island were urging residents in flood-prone areas to consider taking refuge at shelters being set up or other locations.

Hawaiian Electric, the state’s primary utility, said crews that had been helping restore power in Kauai after this month’s Hurricane Lowell returned to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island in preparation for the storm.

Meanwhile, Mexico is under the threat of Hurricane Polo as it heads toward the Baja California peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the southwestern coast. Polo was producing maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour (249 kph) Saturday but is expected to gradually weaken before making landfall Monday.

One of the towns in Polo’s projected path is San Juanico, a small fishing community on Baja’s Pacific coast where access to basic needs is already fickle.

“Our people are concerned about this event,” said Gloriely Robles Meza, a manager at a small hotel there. “We haven’t faced such a worrying situation in many years.”

The town has only had full-time electricity for a couple of years, and it still experiences frequent outages. Without power, residents can’t refrigerate food or pump water. The closest gas station is so far away that fuel is stored and sold from tanks in the town and frequently runs out if there is high demand.

Robles Meza said the community feels left to brace itself for the storm without the help of authorities.

“We must prepare on our own — each of us protecting our homes and belongings,” she said, adding that she wished officials would preposition heavy machinery for clearing roads, along with emergency generators.

For now, she said, the only plan is to convert the local elementary school into a shelter.

“While this is important, we also have other impacts to consider,” she said, like what the town will do if it is cut off from help.

San Juanico has experienced late summer storms, but Polo feels different, said Jeffrey Westman, an American who was first drawn to the town’s world-class surf break 40 years ago and owns a property there.

“During the last couple of years, the storms have felt big and strong and scary,” said Westman, 63, who is in Europe right now but is concerned for the locals in San Juanico, particularly about their ability to receive food deliveries or reach larger grocery stores if road access is cut off.

Washed out roads could also block access to the closest medical facility, about 80 minutes away in Ciudad Constitución.

Westman said he is hopeful Polo behaves the way some past storms have, losing intensity before reaching the Baja coastline.

“A lot of times they do start petering out,” as they approach, he said. “I’m hoping that’s the case.”

Associated Press writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

Kawika Ige fishes as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

A man walks past a closed ticket counter for Southwest Airlines lined with sandbags at Hilo International Airport as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Chase Gabin fishes among the rocks as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Louie Taasan places sand bags along his driveway as Hurricane Nolo sits nearby Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Hilo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Kenzielynn Kekoa, center, of Hilo, Hawaii, helps her family fill sand bags as Hurricane Nolo approaches in Hilo, Hawaii, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)