This sumptuous church is famous for its bones: over 10,000 Christians from Ethiopia and beyond came here to die. It also has some religious treasures which the monks would like to display. They include three 15-16th century icons, 13-15th century crosses, 17th century illustrated books or folding parchment, 3 arks (altars), a Mamluk tray and a 16th century Italian glass pitcher. The site receives many visitors due to the proximity of Lalibela.
We have been asked to help set up a museum within the palace – an adjacent cave building thought to have been built as the residence of Yemrehanna Kristos. This will involve cleaning and re-flooring the site and providing 6 show cases. We have also been asked to conserve the wall paintings within the church. These are reputedly the oldest surviving murals in Ethiopia.
