Meskel is one of the colorfully celebrated religious festivals (especially in the Orthodox Church) in Ethiopia. It is celebrated by dancing, feasting, and lighting a massive bonfire well-known in Ethiopian tradition as "Damera". Meskel remembers the finding of the True Cross in the 4th when Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, discovered the True Cross on which The Saviour was crucified. The feast is celebrated in Ethiopia on the 17th of September Ethiopian calendar (the 27th of September Gregorian calendar), 6 months latter than the finding of the True Cross. The celebration of Meskel indicates the presence of the True Cross at mountain of Gishen Mariam monastery and also signifies the events carried out by Empress Helena.



According to the belief, Empress Helena lit incense and prayed for assistance to show her. The smoke blew towards the direction of the buried cross. She dug and found 3 crosses; one of them was the True Cross used to crucify The Saviour. Empress Helena then gave a section of the True Cross to all churches, including the Ethiopian Church. This piece of the True Cross was then brought to Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian legend, when people get close to the piece of the True Cross it made them uncovered by its powerful light. Due to this, a decision was made tohide it at the mountain of Gishen Mariam monastery in Wollo region. It is evident that the monastery of Gishen Mariam has a volume of a book which records the story of the True Cross of The Saviour and how it was came into the possession.