There are also 33 holidays devoted to the St. Mary, which illustrates her importance to the Christians of Ethiopia.
Other days of feast include one for each of the 12 Apostles, the martyrs: St. George, St. Stephen, and St. John the Baptist.
St. Michael and the religious reformer Emperor Zara Yaqob are also celebrated. Most feast days are celebrated monthly as opposed to annually.
On these holidays one is expected to refrain from heavy labor such as farming, manual tasks, weaving, forging metal, etc.
Holidays and Sundays are also occasions for socializing such as, having weddings, dances and sports.
The Book of Exodus contains the biblical account of how the Ten Commandments were given, primarily in chapters 19–24. During this time, Sinai is specifically mentioned twice, in Exodus 19:2 and Exodus 24:16.
According to the legend, Sinai was covered in a cloud, quaked, and was filled with smoke as lightning flashes and trumpet blasts were heard nearby. Later in the story, it is said that fire could be seen burning at the top of the mountain.
Recently, with the rise in the numbers of Protestants and the fall in the number of Orthodox Church adherents, tensions have led to an increase in the number of hostile engagements, particularly in the southern part of the country.
Protestants blame a radical anti-reform branch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church called Mahbere Kidusan or Mahibere Kidusan as being responsible for the recent hostilities.
The times allocated to the services largely depend on holidays and fasting days. During fasting periods, most church services begin at 1 pm (some churches/monasteries begin at 3 pm).
It will most often last about 2 hours but can be shortened or lengthened depending on the situation.
On Sundays, most Ethiopian Church services begin at 6 am, though some monasteries/churches begin 5 am.
