BETA GIYORGIS

the "House of St. George" is Lalibela's most famous church, immortalized on every postcard with its iconic cross shape. This monolithic church was carved directly into the rock in the late ^12th or early ^13th century, and is the most recent of the site's churches. The sanctuary's isolation on the edge of the village, in an open space, and its astonishing state of preservation give it a special solemnity. Sunrises and sunsets, bathing the monument's red walls in low-angled light, are magical moments. Nearby, the green algae covering the water in the immersion basin add an unusual touch to the monochrome ensemble.

According to legend, Saint George, patron saint of Ethiopia, appeared to King Lalibela, who was astonished and no doubt a little offended that none of the churches were dedicated to him. To make up for this oversight, the pious sovereign undertook to dedicate the finest of his sanctuaries to him. Saint George himself is said to have taken part in the work, along with a host of angels, which explains the speed with which it was built. As history and myth easily merge, it is accepted that this sanctuary is later than the others and represents the apogee of Lalibela's architectural art.

Exterior. From the bottom of a pit 12 m deep and around 20 m wide, rises the majestic cruciform (Greek cross) monument with a span of around 11 m, set on a 14 m stepped plinth. According to statistical calculations, 3,400^m3 of rock had to be excavated by hand to sculpt the monumental work, and 450^m3 of pink volcanic tuff from the Lasta mountains to create its interior volumes. Only the roof, sculpted with interlocking crosses and featuring a water drainage system (on three branches only), announces the sanctuary at ground level. Access is via a long trench where, according to tradition, the hoofprints of St. George's horse are inscribed. The twelve facades are adorned with several cornices and two levels of windows, the lower ones of which are blind, with very different motifs. While the lower windows are in the Axumite style, the upper ones, with their fluted ogives, are identical to those of Beta Golgotha. The exterior is excavated with numerous cavities, popular with hermits, one of which contains a number of mummified bodies.

Interior. It is simple and fairly small, retaining its Greek cross shape. The Holy of Holies ( maqdas) behind the curtain, where only priests may enter and where a copy of the Ten Commandments Table ( tabot) is kept, is topped by a cupola. A larger room is the kené malet, used by the choir during services. The church has no paintings or sculptures to distract the eye or prayer, apart from a representation of St. George. On the ceiling, each arm of the cross is intersected by an arch in line with the four central pilasters. The tabot is displayed during religious ceremonies, for Timkat but also for Fasika. On the first evening of the year, St. George's is the scene of a candlelit procession as the tabot is brought out. Foreign visitors are welcome in the courtyard, with the faithful praying and singing.