![]() It is interesting to note that while many of the literary works extant in Ge’ez are based on translations from Greek, Syriac, Coptic and in later times, Arabic originals, in every case the work in question has been not merely translated but, in Professor Ullendorff’s phrase, has been “conveyed into the spirit and ambiance of Christian Abyssinia”. Their subject matter and their style strongly imbued with religious concepts. Ethiopian men of letters have, in almost all cases, also been men of the Church and many scholars consider that the most distinctive attainment of Ethiopian culture lies in the vast collection of manuscript, compiled and preserved in the monasteries and churches, which embody the national literary tradition. Religion lies at the very core of Ethiopian civilization and the Ethiopian Church has been not only the storehouse of the national culture, but also it propagator, instrumental in shaping and moulding Ethiopian literature and art. ![]() Almost all of these works are religious in content. A vast body of literary works in Ge’ez grew up from fifth century A.D onwards. THE ROLE OF THE ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN LITERATURE AND ARTĮthiopia occupies a unique place among African countries south of the Sahara, having evolved her own literary language, Ge’ez, in very early times.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |