Spiritual and religiousSub-Saharan AfricaChristian
Ethiopian Christmas
In its own language: ገና
The Christian Nativity feast, marked by night vigils, white garments and field hockey
Ethiopian Christmas, known locally as Genna or Ledet, is celebrated on 7 January across Ethiopia and Eritrea. Following a forty-three-day fast, worshippers wear fine white cotton garments for overnight church vigils, take part in outdoor processions, and play a traditional stick-and-ball game.
When is Ethiopian Christmas in 2027?
Ethiopian Christmas 2027 is on Thursday, 7 January 2027. Other years: 2026, Wednesday, 7 January 2026; 2028, Friday, 7 January 2028.
Ethiopian Christmas, widely known as Genna, celebrates the birth of Jesus on 7 January. Kept by Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant believers across Ethiopia and Eritrea, the day marks the end of a long period of fasting. Worshippers dress in lightweight white cotton, join together in night-long prayer services, and play an energetic traditional sport said to recall the shepherds on the night Christ was born.
The fast of the prophets
Preparation for the feast begins weeks before Christmas Day. Ethiopian Orthodox believers observe a strict forty-three-day fast called Tsome Nebiyat, or the Fast of the Prophets, which starts on 25 November. During this solemn period, participants seek spiritual cleansing and reflection as they anticipate the Nativity. The fast requires abstaining entirely from all animal products, such as meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs. Believers also avoid alcohol and other psychoactive substances throughout these weeks, preparing both body and spirit for the joyous holy day ahead.
Vigils and processions
Celebrations reach their height on Christmas Eve with an extensive overnight church service. Worshippers gather around six in the evening, donning the netela, a traditional thin white cotton wrap. The congregation forms a vast gathering that encircles the church, moving together in circular outdoor processions as prayers and chants continue until three in the morning. Many pilgrims travel to historic religious centres such as the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. The communal rituals emphasize shared faith, unity, and deep devotion.
The game of genna
Beyond church walls, the holiday features a spirited field sport also called genna or qarsa. Played in open countryside between settlements over fields roughly one hundred yards long without rigid borders, two teams use curved wooden sticks to strike a wooden ball. Origin stories link the pastime to the shepherds who watched their flocks during the Nativity. Over time, the game became a training ground for soldiers to practice agility and weapon handling. During the mid-twentieth century, institutional and military teams regularly competed in organized holiday tournaments at Janhoy Meda.
How Ethiopian Christmas is kept
Observance begins with the 43-day Fast of the Prophets, excluding animal products and alcohol. On Christmas Eve, believers put on white netela shawls and gather at their local church for an evening service starting at 6:00 pm. Worshippers encircle the sanctuary and proceed in winding outdoor processions throughout the night until 3:00 am. Pilgrims assemble at major sites like Lalibela. During the daytime holiday, communities gather outdoors for genna, a stick-and-ball game played between villages across wide fields.
When and where
The holiday takes place every year on 7 January, corresponding to Tahsas 29 in the Ethiopian calendar. The date aligns with Christmas observances in several other Eastern Christian churches, including the Eritrean, Russian, Greek, and Serbian Orthodox traditions.
The festival is observed throughout Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is celebrated in Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic parishes, with Lalibela serving as a prominent destination for religious pilgrims.
What Ethiopian Christmas means
The feast celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The preceding forty-three days of fasting serve to purify the body of sin in anticipation of the Nativity. The traditional game of genna is believed to honour the shepherds who watched their flocks on the night of Jesus' birth, connecting sacred scripture with communal recreation.
Ethiopian Christmas dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Ethiopian Christmas date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday, 7 January 2026 |
| 2027 | Thursday, 7 January 2027 |
| 2028 | Friday, 7 January 2028 |
Questions people ask about Ethiopian Christmas
When is Ethiopian Christmas in 2027?
Ethiopian Christmas 2027 is on Thursday, 7 January 2027. Other years: 2026, Wednesday, 7 January 2026; 2028, Friday, 7 January 2028.
What is Ethiopian Christmas?
Ethiopian Christmas, known as Genna, Ledet, or Ayaana, is the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is observed by Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic communities across Ethiopia and Eritrea.
What happens during the Christmas Eve service?
Worshippers wearing white netela shawls attend an overnight vigil that begins around 6:00 pm and lasts until 3:00 am. The congregation forms long processions encircling the church in prayer and song.
What is the game of genna?
Genna is a traditional hockey-like sport played with wooden sticks and a wooden ball across open fields between villages. It is named after the holiday and is said to originate from the shepherds tending flocks at the Nativity.
See also
SigdAn Ethiopian Jewish holiday of covenant renewal, fasting, and longing for Zion
TimkatThe Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Epiphany celebrating the baptism of Jesus
Eid al-FitrThe feast that ends Ramadan, opened with morning prayers, sweets and visits home
Good FridayA solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.Good reading and sources
- The two-hour marathon: who is it for?The Guardian, Article
- The two-hour marathon: who is it for?The Guardian, Article
- Ethiopian Christmas on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Ethiopian Christmas", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.
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