Debre Sultan or Dei res-Sultan

 

Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem also known by the name Debre Sultan and also Dei res-Sultan, is actually on the roof of the church of the holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is the last stronghold of the Ethiopian in Jerusalem. The Ethiopian Community has been residing in Jerusalem for the last two millennia, dating back to 4th century A.D. Till the 16th century Ethiopian in Jerusalem owned four Chapels in the church of the holy Sepulcher. These were chapel of our lady and of St. John the Evangelist, Chapel of St. Michael, Chapel of St. john the Baptist and chapel of St. Mary Magdalene. However, they lost all these chapels due to the luck of aid from the Ethiopian Emperor. From the written documents of French pilgrim Charles Philippe de Champermony we come to know about the Ethiopian presence in Debre they still preserved the Ethiopian Monastery in Jerusalem by sacrificing their lives and health. I the 18th Century an Egyptian named Ibrahim Guihari and his 8 slaves came to the Monastery and claimed the monastery. Therefore, the Copts intervened and forces the priest of Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem to hand over the key to them. The worst enemy struck the Ethiopian monastery of Jerusalem in 1838 in the form of a plague which killed all the nuns and monks save two. There for the Copts and the Armenians burnt down the library of the monastery and all the valuable and manuscripts were lost.

In 1850 however again the Ethiopian got the key to monastery through the Copts kept the chapels of St. Michael and the chapel of the four Creatures permanently locked for 80 years from the year 1862. Therefore the Ethiopian were forced to erect a huge tent for celebrating various festivals and this tradition is still followed. When you enter the Ethiopian monastery in Jerusalem, then you will find that the whole church is carpeted. The walls and columns of the monastery have painting depicting the holy Family and the famous saints of Ethiopia. But the look of the church might disappoint you since it shows the poverty of in which the community is submerged.