Pilgrims singing at night outside the Biete Medhane Alem During the first days of January thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims go to...
{"Image ImageDescription": "LALIBELA, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA - 2018/01/06: Pilgrims singing at night outside the Biete Medhane Alem (House of the Saviour of the World).\nDuring the first days of January, thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims go to the city of Lalibela to visit the \"New Jerusalem\". This holy city is composed of 11 interconnected churches carved by hand that are connected through a series of labyrinths and tunnels.\nThe first days of January mark the celebration of Genna (also known as Ledet), which is the Christmas version of the Ethiopian calendar. During this celebration, the pilgrims travel to the sacred land of Lalibela to experience what is described as a path from darkness to light, an exit to heaven.\nThe site was built in the 12th century by the Ethiopian Christian leader, King Lalibela, in response to the Muslim occupation of Jerusalem. Lalibela, after having seen more than 800 years of history and culture, has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. (Photo by Oscar Espinosa/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)", "Image Copyright": "? 2018 SOPA Images"}