Hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Christians have marched through cities and towns in Ethiopia ahead of celebrations to mark Timket, or Epiphany, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan.
Each church took its Tabot, a model of the Ark of the Covenant, on the procession.
The parade to a river is led by the most senior priest of each church who are dressed in their religious robes and carry crucifixes and umbrellas.
They are accompanied by spiritual singers and worshippers.
On Thursday priests will sprinkle the holy water on the participants, re-enacting the baptism of Jesus.
Traditionally, Timket is also seen as a meeting ground for young singles looking for a partner.
A local saying reflects the importance of dressing up: “Let a dress not meant for Timket be shredded”.
A state-linked broadcaster has tweeted some photos from the celebration: