ENDA MARIAM WUKRO

[africangear]

ENDA MARIAM WUKRO

This church lies 7km northwest of the town of Nebelet in central Tigray, and northeast of the Gheralta Cluster of rock-hewn churches. The church is not fully separated from the rock face, and only the southern façade is visible from the exterior. The interior has richly decorated walls and ceilings. There are three doors, two of them leading into nave and the third leading to the priests' chamber, called Rine Mahlet, measuring 9.2m deep, 4.4m wide and 5.2m high.

This chamber is highly decorated with stone bas-reliefs and relatively recent paintings. The western and southern parts of the ceiling have large, carved Greek crosses, and the northern and the central part of ceiling have geometrically perfect domes. The ceiling is supported on two free-standing pillars. The remarkable feature of the church is that the pillars are connected by double arches, and have no central pillars. A wooden door leads to the inner altar. The interior measures 10m x 9m x 9m. Four free—standing pillars with pilaster capitals on top, plus another 10 wall-pillars support the ceiling. On the western side of the Holy of Holies, one can see a window—like opening in Aksumite style. In fact in many respects, the church is similar to those churches of Lalibala and Debre Damo as well. According to David Buxton, one of the noted authorities of the rock-hewn churches of Tigray, Enda Mariam Wukro "shows clear kinship with the built church of Debre Damo". He further states that the church has "some important" kinship with Lalibela churches — Mariam, Amanuel and Abba Libanos specifically. Another chapel, accessible by a wooden ladder, houses the Tabot of St George. Enda Mariam Wukro is a very complex and magnificent church. According to scholar Ruth Plant, it is "without doubt a great example of Tigray architecture".