Abba Garima Monastery
አባ ገሪማ
An ancient monastery near Adwa that houses what is considered one of the oldest illustrated Christian gospel books in the world.
The monastery is on a mountain about 5 km east of Adwa. According to tradition, it was founded by Garima, one of the Nine Saints, in the 5th or 6th century. The Garima Gospels kept here were radiocarbon-dated to around the 4th to 7th centuries CE and are considered among the oldest surviving illustrated gospels. They are written in Ge'ez and decorated with coloured illustrations. Access to the monastery is generally limited to men, and whether the gospels can be viewed depends on the monks. A fee is required, and religious customs must be respected. It can be combined with Adwa and Yeha in a one-day trip.
Opening hours
Daytime
Nearby sights
- Adwa
- Temple of Yeha
- Abba Pentalewon Monastery
- Tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel
- Tomb of Bazen
- Ezana Stone
- Mai Shum (Queen of Sheba's Bath)
- Obelisks of Aksum