Almost every Ethiopian Christian has his own patron saint, and the archangel Gabriel is the most popular.
December 28 and July 26 in Ethiopia are dedicated to annual colorful celebrations in honor of the Archangel Gabriel.
Huge crowds of believers make a pilgrimage to the town of Kulubi, where the largest church of St. Gabriel is located. It owes its origin to Ras Makkonen (father of Emperor Haile Selassie) when he began its construction in the late 19th century. In 1962 it was restored. The church was built to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Adua in 1896.
On the day of the festivities, huge crowds of believers gather here. Tuajedo Orthodox Christians celebrate with colorful processions and ceremonies. People of all ages, classes and religions gather from all over Ethiopia, reaching a population of 100 thousand people, and sometimes more. Pilgrims come to the church to fulfill a vow, ask for something, or in many cases thank for requests already fulfilled, and bring offerings to the church.
As offerings, Ethiopians typically use candles or umbrellas of all kinds and sizes. The church collects these offerings and then sells them again to believers, and uses the proceeds to help the poor. Some pilgrims carry heavy stones on their backs for the last few kilometers to the top of the hill, to the church.
Children born after prayers to the Archangel Gabriel are brought to church for baptism. During the festival, 1,000 children may be baptized, most of them named after the Archangel Gabriel.