Millions of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians marked Good Friday in Addis Ababa on April 10, with celebrations ahead of Easter Sunday this weekend muted by fuel shortages and higher prices for food, the Associated Press reported. The AP said the strain is being linked to the Iran war, which residents described as raising the costs of key household needs during a major religious period.
Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christians follow a calendar that differs from the one used by most of the world’s Christians, which observed Easter on April 5. For Ethiopia’s Orthodox faithful, Good Friday comes after a 55-day fast known locally as Abiy Tsom, during which many worshippers participate in communal prayers and wear traditional white attire.
The AP reported that the fast is followed by a festive vigil, during which parishioners seek forgiveness and peace before Easter Sunday. In Addis Ababa, however, residents said the practical impact of the fuel and food situation is shaping how families manage the holiday rituals, including travel and the slaughter of animals for a communal practice.
Residents told the AP that prices have climbed to levels that households struggle to absorb. Samuel Teshome said the price of sheep has almost doubled, making it too expensive for his family, while Sirawdink Admaus said the price of a rooster has almost doubled.
Sellers said the increase is related to higher costs of transporting animals from rural areas into the city, as well as the broader pricing pressure associated with the current fuel environment. The AP also described a shortage of fuel in Ethiopia, with few stations stocking the commodity, and said some businesspeople have turned to a black market where prices are even higher.
For commuters and workers, the fuel shortages also mean delays and lost income, the AP reported. Tefera Aragaw, a minibus taxi driver, said he and other drivers had been waiting at gas stations for three days, sleeping at or near the locations, and that the wait had disrupted his income.
Aragaw said there was “also a possibility that we may not be able to get fuel at all,” according to the AP account. The government has introduced cost-saving measures, including allowing most public servants to work from home and prioritizing fuel supply to essential services, the AP reported.