| Duration: | 2 Day(s) - 1 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Seasonal Events |
The Eritrean orthodox (Coptic) believers follow the Julian calendar or the Geez Calendar. The Julian calendar is 8 years younger than the Gregorian calendar. According to the Julian (Geez) Calendar the New Year falls on September 11th. On the eve people bid farewell to the previous year and welcome the New Year by crossing over a bone fire three times. The number three is related to trinity. Young children and the youth bear a torch and visit from one home to the other in their surrounding area wishing a prosperous new year. They will be given some money when they let the elders cross over their collection of torch which make a bon fire
Two weeks later the Damera or the Maskal (the founding of the true cross) is celebrated officially at the September 1st square. A huge collection of wood (from cactus trees) is assembled and wrapped by white cloth. Following the blessings by His Holiness of the Coptic Church, the Mayor of Asmara puts fire on the standing collection of the logs of cactus wood. It is attended by thousand of people. Damera is held on 27th September
