"Timkat is the most important festival in the Ethiopian calendar. Crowds of revellers, all dressed in white, dance and sing in the streets to the beating of drums. Priests, decked out in jewel encrusted velvet and satin robes, carry a replica of Arc of the Covenant known as a talbot in a grand procession through the streets.
The procession arrives at a water source and events culminate at 2am, when the priests perform mass and bless the water. A communal baptism follows, with the most fervent Christians throwing themselves fully clothed into the water."
Text taken from http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/africa/ethiopia/timkat.php
There is also an excellent video to watch on Timkat provided by National Geographic:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/places/culture-places/beliefs-and-traditions/ethiopia_timkat.html
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