Page:Lesser Eastern Churches.djvu/335

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THE ABYSSINIAN CHURCH
313

FIG. 11. — THE ABYSSINIAN MONASTERY BY THE ANASTASIS AT JERUSALEM.

This appears to be founded on the same illusion as to the shape of Solomon's temple as produced our round Templar churches in Europe. In Abyssinia itself the churches, at least in country districts, are said to be very poor structures — a round mud wall and thatched roof. I examined with some care the big church they built lately outside Jerusalem.[1] Dull and ugly as this church is, it has an interest, since it reproduces the plan of their churches at home on a larger scale. It is built of stone, quite

  1. North-west, a mile or so from the walls, beyond the Russian pilgrims' hospice. Its title is "Church of Paradise." Besides this church (and the convent they hope to take from the Copts, p. 304) the Abyssinians have in Jerusalem a monastery with a great court (in which is the very same olive-tree where Abraham found the ram), east of the Anastasis (see fig. 11). Next to it is the Coptic monastery Dair asSulṭān (which the Abyssinians claim). In the Anastasis they have one small chapel. The Abyssinian and Coptic monks quarrel very badly; the Copts (and Armenians) used to lock the Abyssinians in at night; would not let them get to their chapel, and so on.