Easter Sunday unfolded in Washington, D.C., in a room filled with white garments, steady hymn singing and prayer as hundreds of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians packed into DSK Mariam Church. For many, the service marked Fasika—the celebration of Christ’s resurrection—observed in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition a week after Catholic and Protestant Easter.
Archdeacon Getahun Atlaw said the white clothing is part of the spiritual preparation, telling the congregation, “We dress in white so that we are groomed for heaven.” The church’s Holy Week observances build in intensity before Easter, and on Easter night the faithful kept vigil through the overnight service, which community members described as culminating in the breaking of a long fast.
Several congregants described Fasika as the most important time in the church calendar. Abraham Habte-Sellassie, a “kesis” or priest who helped lead the Divine Liturgy from midnight to 3 a.m., said, “The climax is the resurrection because if there was no resurrection, there would be no Christianity. It would just be an empty philosophy.” Other church leaders and members said the early-morning hours are tied to the hours they believe Christ was on the cross.
The overnight service also used elements intended to represent key religious moments, including dimmed lights and long, narrow wax candles known as tuaf that were lit to represent the resurrection’s light dispelling darkness. As the ceremony continued, clergy and lay people chanted, “Your resurrection is for us who believe. Send your light upon us, send your light upon us.” Deacon Amanuel Argaw, speaking from inside the church, said the celebration’s joy carried people through the long night, adding, “The celebration is so joyful that you don’t even feel that you’re tired.”
For some congregants, this Easter marked not only religious observance but also an anxious moment shaped by immigration policy. The AP reported that some members said hardships were greater this year as Ethiopian communities in the U.S. faced efforts from the Trump administration to revoke temporary protected status for over 5,000 people from Ethiopia, a decision a federal judge blocked. Eighteen-year-old deacon Jonathan Melaku said the church’s community would remain resilient, saying, “It takes a grind and courage to get to where they’re at,” and adding, “Our people will always stay resilient.”
DSK Mariam—formally known as Re’ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church—draws from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, which the AP described as one of the oldest branches of Christianity. The church, located in the D.C. metro area that is home to the largest Ethiopian diaspora community in the United States, serves roughly 4,000 people weekly, with about 1,500 people gathering for the overnight service that ended at 3 a.m. on Sunday.
On Good Friday earlier in Holy Week, priests wore dark purple and gold garments representing Christ’s triumph and were joined in chanting “Lord have mercy upon me.” The AP also described clergy beating out a flame to represent the defeat of Satan, and said that during the services congregants and clergy alike prostrated dozens of times.
After the service ended, congregants rushed out into the streets to break the fast, gathering in small groups as they ate traditional Ethiopian dishes. Members said doro wat—spicy chicken simmered in spices—was a centerpiece as people took small bites before going home to rest, and later in the day family and friends gathered to fully break the fast together.
At the center of many conversations was passing traditions to younger generations, the AP said. Atlaw told the congregation, “This history and value can go wherever Ethiopians go. This is our history. How can we take it lightly? … This is who we are,” and added, “We have to pass it from generation to generation.” Sebawit Yirsaw, who said she joined the church 16 years ago after immigrating from Ethiopia, said people feel a special connection during Fasika because they seek salvation, describing it as “always something that we feel like much needed because we all go through a lot of hardship in life.”
In households beyond the church, congregants described Easter fast-breaking as an obligation that also brings relatives together. For Selamawit Tekola, breaking Easter fast with her large family was “a must,” and her niece, Adey Thomas, said, “When Selama says, take off work and show up, it’s not optional.” Thomas added, “This is the one time to stop and celebrate with family,” as family members gathered in traditional clothing, prayed together and shared Ethiopian foods and drinks including tej, traditional honey wine, and Ethiopian coffee.