Meskel is an Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church holiday that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress Helena in the fourth century. Meskel occurs on the 17 Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar. "Meskel" is Amharic for "cross".
Meskel celebration at Meskel Square, Addis Ababa (2016)
Meskel Square is a public square in the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is often a site for Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church gatherings or for demonstrations and festivals, notably, the Meskel Festival from which it takes its name.
View from Meskel Square
Traffic in Meskel Square
Government-organized political rally at Meskel Square, then called Revolution Square, during the late 1980s