Ethiopians celebrate discovery of the True Cross

(Seattle Times) - More than 1,000 people from six Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo churches celebrated the religious holiday of Meskel in West Seattle’s Camp Long Sunday.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believes Queen Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, found the cross where Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem during the fourth century.

The churches marked the holiday, also known as the finding of the True Cross, with a bonfire, candle-burning prayer and singing into the night.