The most beautiful religious buildings Montagnes Du Lasta

Built in a cave, this is a troglodyte church in the Lasta mountains, more precisely the Abuna Youssef massif. It is actually located just above the church of Asheten Mariam (the two religious sites can be visited together), but is not linked to it by a path. It is the work of Na'akueto La'ab, nephew and adopted son of Lalibela and last ruler of the Zagoué dynasty in the ^13th century (1212-1260). Legend has it that he prayed lying on swords and ascended to heaven body and soul. Paintings tell of his hunt for the bandit Tsarakems, who urged the population to believe in other gods and who eventually became an evangelist after receiving the king's pardon.

Inside the church, basins collect the holy water that trickles down from the Asheten Mariam church. The faithful consume it for its curative virtues and power to chase away evil spirits. Among the treasures on display are crowns, beautiful illuminated books, crosses and a gold and silver drum. The priest will be happy to show them off for your camera, so make the most of this privilege as the treasures of this church are priceless.

Some of the paintings clearly show a Byzantine influence in the gesture of the two fingers raised in blessing. At festive times, and especially at Christmas, the place becomes exceptional, as huge crowds come to pray fervently, sing and dance in this church. It's well worth the climb!

The sanctuary is hidden away at the top of Mount Asheten, which dominates the town from its rocky peak at 3,200 m altitude, just below the Nakuto Lab church. It takes around 2 hours to reach it on foot via the path that starts in the outskirts of Lalibela, opposite the Seven Olives Hotel. A new road allows access by car or badjaj, for those who want to save time on the first day of a trek, for example. Near the entrance to the sanctuary, a small carved grotto, partly collapsed, marks the site of an ancient church dedicated to Saint Michael.

Accessible via a small tunnel dug into the tufa, the church itself is monolithic, exposed on only three sides of the rock. It appears nestled in the grey rock. Like most other churches, Asheten Mariam is encased in protective scaffolding that prevents a bird's-eye view from the upper walls. In the courtyard, a cavity, the kené malet, has been cleared to accommodate the deftara choir. The interior features a motley collection of icons and paintings from various periods. Probably begun during Lalibela's reign, the church was completed by his successor Nakuto Lab in the ^13th century. To the left of the monument, a natural terrace offers a magnificent circular panorama. This church can be a good starting point for a two- to four-day trek in the Lasta mountains, with an ascent of the nearby Abuna Yossef peak, which we warmly recommend.

Founded, according to legend, by King Yekouno Amlak, restorer of the Solomonic dynasty in 1270, to mark his power, the monument is a fine example of a monolithic church. Carved out of pink tufa, the 20 m x 16 m x 10 m high edifice is surrounded by twenty-four pillars forming a gallery that symbolizes the elders of the Apocalypse, while the four inner pillars symbolize the evangelists.

The church is adorned with numerous frescoes. One, in the atrium, depicts the parable of the foresighted virgins who saved their oil for the coming of Christ and the others who did not; below, St. George and the temptation of Adam and Eve by the serpent. Turning along the nave to the left, we see the wedding at Cana, the martyrs, the Holy Trinity, the prophets, Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac and the entry into Jerusalem. In the background on the right, the flight into Egypt guided by Gabriel, Saint Mercurios killing Galianos, the king who persecuted the Christians, as well as other iconography and a bestiary of more uncertain decipherability. On the pillars, the prophet Daniel, Dawit and his musical instrument, and the meeting of Yekouno Amlak and Takla Haymanot, the monk who played an essential role in restoring Solomon's lineage before becoming a venerated saint.

To the left of the holy of holies, a now-filled tunnel is said to contain emnet, a miraculous powder used to dispel evil spirits, which the faithful sprinkle over their faces.