Timket, or Timkat, is Ethiopian language for Epiphany. Although the holiday commemorating Christ's baptism in the River Jordan is observed by Christians all over the world, Timket is of special significance in Ethiopia. It is the most important and colourful event of the year.

The festival starts at Timket Eve, January 18, eleven days after the orthodox Christmas. Although the festival is largely religious, it has no lack of secular elements such as partying and match-making.

According to the Ethiopian epic Kebra Negast, the Ark of the Covenant was abducted from Jerusalem to Ethiopia during the first millennium BC. Since then, it has become the most sacred element of the Ethiopian orthodox church.

Early afternoon in the Timket Eve, the replicas of the Ark, covered by silks, are carried solemnly by priests from each church to the nearby body of water. Accompanying the procession are tens of thousands of church members and believers, chanting, dancing, drum-beating, horn-blowing, prayer-stick-waving and sistra(a simple musical instrument)-rattling. All in all, it resembles the scene described in the Old Testament.

As evening falls, the priests and the pious believers participate in overnight vigil around the Arks until dawn. Then huge crowds gather around the water. After the chief priest blesses the water, the celebration reaches its climax. Many jump into the water, the rest are eager to get a splash. After the religious vows are renewed, some of the Arks are paraded back with the same celebrating fashion.

The festival does not end until the third day, dedicated to the Archangel Mikael. With parade no less magnificent than the previous two days, the rest of the Arks are carried back to their respective churches.

Timket in the town of Gondar is undoubtedly the most interesting. The bath pool in the historical palace built by the Emperor Fasiladas during the 17th century stages a dramatic backdrop of the event, while the garden surrounding the pool provides believers a perfect ground for prayers and overnight vigil.

Flamboyant embroidered umbrellas protecting the sacred Tabot and the priests. The umbrellas have become the most salient symbol of the festival.	Array of uniformed church clergies with prayer sticks and sistra.	A young trainee priest carrying a silver Ethiopian style cross in the procession. Someday, he might have the honour to carry the holy Tabot. Facing more and more opportunities in life, following a life path of priesthood is a tough personal choice for young men, for it requires not only faith but also hard devotion in learning religious scripts written in Geez, an ancient language which is now only used by priests in churches.	Drum-dancing is one of the activities played through out the three-day festivity by both men and women. There are uniformed drum-dancing, there are also spontaneous ones.	A girl drummer accompanied by hand-clapping and chanting.
The Timket procession goes pass the large Pepsi advertising bottle erected at the centre of Gondar. Imported soft-drinks, or perhaps foreign soft-drinks that bottled in Ethiopia, have been increasingly popular in Ethiopia. They slowly replaced traditional drinks like Tej, a kind of beer made from honey.	After a long and exhausted procession, the Tabot from each church finally arrives in 17th-century Fasiladas' Bath before sunset. Under thousands of revered eyes, the Tabots are brought into the seclusive tower in front of the pool, ready for the overnight vigil.	Folks light up bonfires in the garden of the Fasiladas' Bath. It's one of the happiest nights of the year!	January 19. Timket Day. Pre-dawn. Thousands have gathered and surrounded the pool in Fasiladas' Bath. No one is somnolent despite the continuous celebration and overnight vigil. Everyone seems to be eagerly anticipating the moment in the year - the blessing of the water by the grand priest in the morning.	Morning. A mother and her daughter await the blessing by the pool side.
As dawn approaches, believers camp in the garden prostrate toward the tower housing the holy Tabots.	Other monks and believers pray with the religious scripts in front of the pool.	Sunlight now emerges from the horizon. A hymn started faintly amid the pilgrims. But very soon the hymn spreads over every corner of the Fasiladas' Bath, turning itself in to a gentle but soul-touching chorus with every harmony.	Immediately after the blessing, the crowd erupted. Young men dive into the freezing water, others are pushing forward toward the pool. Religious vows are not renewed without taking a splash of holy water.	While most of the folks are still enjoying the show of holy water, or receiving blessing, procession are being marshalled in the garden. It is time for most of the Tabots returning their homes.
Timket Eve. After gathering at the town centre, the Tabots are then slowly paraded to the nearby body of water - the 17th-century Fasiladas' Bath. Although the Bath is slightly more than two kilometres from the centre, the process seems to be eternal. Along the way, folks pause to sing and dance in front of the parade. Elderly believers stand by the roadside and pray.	Another drum-playing scene.	January 19, Timket Day. About 7am. The moment has finally arrived. The grand priest, gathered around by other clergies, slowly descents to the pool side. In a breathtaking moment, he prays while dipping the holy cross into the water. [Technical Note: the photo was taken under a very weak light from across the pool, and was severely cropped during post-processing.	A girl is receiving blessing from a priest while another looks by.	Morning prayers in the garden of Fasiladas' Bath.