Ethiopia's Virgin Mary Festival in Tigray Cancelled Amid Drone Strike Concerns

The annual Ashenda festival, a vibrant celebration of women and the Virgin Mary, has been cancelled in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Organizers cited concerns over recent drone strikes and the potential threat of further attacks as the reason for the cancellation of the main stadium gathering.

The festival, traditionally a major event drawing thousands of young women dressed in colorful attire, was scheduled for Saturday. Ashenda, which means “the tall green grass” in the Tigrinya language, is a significant religious observance for Orthodox Christians commemorating the Virgin Mary, but it has also evolved into a broader cultural celebration of womanhood.

During Ashenda, girls and young women typically dress up, style their hair, and enjoy freedoms of dancing and socializing that are often restricted at other times of the year. This year’s cancellation comes at a sensitive time for Tigray, as the region is still recovering from a devastating two-year civil war that concluded in 2022.

Concerns are mounting that the conflict could reignite, with regional authorities attributing a recent series of deadly drone strikes to federal armed forces. A drone strike on Thursday in Mekelle reportedly injured 13 civilians and damaged property. Earlier strikes in the region have resulted in fatalities and injuries.

Dori Asgedom, head of Tigray’s culture and tourism bureau, stated that the “ongoing drone strikes and the threat of war” necessitated the cancellation, condemning the attack on civilians. The Tigray regional administration has called for international intervention to prevent further escalation.

Despite the peace deal signed in 2022 ending the civil war, political tensions persist, raising fears of renewed conflict. Both the TPLF and the federal government have accused each other of not fully implementing the peace agreement.