Pilgrims Celebrate Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) in Lalibela

LALIBELA, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA - 2018/01/07: A woman praying at the entrance of the Biete Denagel (House of Virgins). During the first days of January, thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims go to the city of Lalibela to visit the "New Jerusalem". This holy city is composed of 11 interconnected churches carved by hand that are connected through a series of labyrinths and tunnels. The first days of January mark the celebration of Genna (also known as Ledet), which is the Christmas version of the Ethiopian calendar. During this celebration, the pilgrims travel to the sacred land of Lalibela to experience what is described as a path from darkness to light, an exit to heaven. The site was built in the 12th century by the Ethiopian Christian leader, King Lalibela, in response to the Muslim occupation of Jerusalem. Lalibela, after having seen more than 800 years of history and culture, has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. (Photo by Oscar Espinosa/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)