Photo by: Owen Barder

Exorcisms, the Ark of the Covenant, and Ethiopia: The Adventures of Justin Fornal

"There are all different kinds of demons inside of people, some of them go easy, some want to negotiate, others want to fight."

December 13, 2019


While searching for the true location of Ark of the Covenant for the Science Channel series UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED, I immersed myself in Ethiopia’s diverse ceremonies, sacred locations, and ancient traditions. The following story emerged from one of these experiences.

Special thanks to Zablon Beyene, Mikael Tamerat, and Dereje Gashaw.

It’s Wednesday, and as Mikael Tamerat puts it, “Wednesdays are for exorcisms.” Mikael, an Ethiopian explorer, and I are in route to Debre Libanos Monastery to observe an exorcism. He has been incredibly generous with his time, taking me to witness the lesser-known rituals of his homeland — some that are seldom experienced by outsiders.

The Debre Libnaos monastery, founded in the 13th century by Abune Tekle Haymanot, is a collection of churches, caves, and sacred structures spread across an expansive compound. When Mikael and I reach the main thoroughfare, there are two long lines of people, separated by sex, stemming out from the gateway of a small courtyard with a square structure in the middle.

“You might be the first American to come to the exorcism,” Mikael explains. “Every Wednesday the pilgrims wait to enter that building, it is the Meskel Bet (House of the Cross). Soon the head priest of the Church will come down the hill with the tsilat (gold Coptic cross) and carry it into the Maskel Bet. When these people see the tsilat, those who are possessed will reveal themselves… Who knows, perhaps there is a demon in you that will reveal itself!”

A young teenage boy named Fikru explains,“there are all different kinds of demons inside of people. Some of them go easy, some want to negotiate, others want to fight.”

Moments later, several men adorned in bright robes begin their decent form the hilltop. As the kaleidoscopic procession passes, the sound of whispered prayers fills the air. The entourage enters the gates and quickly disappears into the Meskel Bet. Shortly thereafter, a ghastly scream breaks the silence as woman with rolling eyes is carried into the Meskel Bet. As she passes, she contorts, growls, and twists her mouth into a terrible grimace. We listen as the woman’s screams crescendo, then fall to silence.

An usher appears at the gates and instructs the lines to start filing in. Participants snake towards the courtyard, filter through the Meskel Bet, kiss the cross and depart out the rear gate of the courtyard. Once inside, I see the tsilat placed across the head priest’s lap, enshrouded in thick red velvet. Two additional priests, chanting in Geʽez (an ancient South Semitic language) repeatedly strike pilgrims’ backs with large prayer beads as they kiss the tsilat. As I fall to my knees, I guess where the top of the cross is, doing my best to imitate the pilgrims ahead of me.

Later, Mikael explains that some Ethiopian crosses are believed to be imbued with incredible power. He tells me about a powerful cross that was stolen, taken to a museum in Belgium, and promptly returned after the museum burned down.

“Wow, that sounds like some of the powers attributed to the Ark of the Covenant.”

As I reflect on the experience, Fikru shares his story. Mikael translates, “about a year ago he started falling asleep in class, he could not concentrate… His family believed someone in his village put a bad spell on him. They sent him to Debre Libanos. After six months, Fikru went home and everything was ok until the bad feelings returned. So, he returned to Debre Libanos.”

“Will he ever go home? He must miss his family so much.”

Mikael speaks with Fikru for a few minutes.

“He said maybe soon, on a Wednesday, his demon will come out and finally leave. Then maybe his family will let him come home to stay.”

Watch UNEXPLAINED AND UNEXPLORED now on SCI Go.

Next Up

What's Inside the Secret Chambers in the Pyramids of Giza

A powerful new cosmic ray scan of the Great Pyramid of Giza could finally reveal what’s inside two voids in the structure that have baffled scientists for years.

Meet the Ancient Egyptian Gods Who Empower DC Comic's Black Adam

Get to know the six ancient Egyptian gods behind the latest DC Comics film Black Adam, starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, in theaters starting October 21.

A Majestic City Carved into Rock, Thousands of Years Ago

Carved into soft stone cliffs, the ancient sandstone city of Petra was built in the 3rd century BC by the Nabataeans. These people were a nomadic Arab tribe–Bedouins–who roamed the Arabian Desert in search of pasture and water for their herds.

Giant’s Causeway: The Fascinating Legend Behind Ireland’s Most Famous Landmark

The Giant’s Causeway is known around the world for its beautiful interlocking basalt columns – over 40,000 of them in fact – which look out towards the stormy, gray North Channel.

A Canadian Teen Once Discovered an Ancient Temple – Using Google Maps

Most teenagers while away hours playing video games, scrolling TikTok, or texting friends. Not William Gadoury, a 14-year-old from Saint-Jean-de-Matha, Quebec. Back in 2016, Gadoury was holed up in his bedroom, plotting ancient Mayan constellations against modern satellite images and coordinates.

Belize's Jungles are Wild, Mysterious and Full of Discovery

More than half of Belize, a Central American country with as many as 2 million indigenous Mayan inhabitants, is covered in dense, sprawling jungle – meaning the region has adventures galore for any traveler wishing to explore.

4 Wonders of the Philippines

The Philippines is an island country in Southeast Asia, consisting of over 7,000 islands and islets. From rolling chocolate hills to caves and beaches for exploration, the Philippines has many places to explore and learn about!

A Spanish Sunken Galleon Has a $17B Bounty Onboard - and Now You Can See It

Way back in 1708, when the War of Spanish Succession was waging across Europe and Latin America to decide who should be the next King of Spain, three Spanish galleons set sail from Panama. They were loaded to the brim with gold, silver, emeralds, and other jewels that had been extracted from the mines of Bolivia – and were vital in financing Spain’s costly war against its enemies.

The Romantic, Heartbreaking Love Story Behind the Taj Mahal

Ivory white columns rise from the earth, framing the central masterpiece: an intricately carved marble domed structure stood on a square plinth, resplendent with arched doorways, and topped by a bronze moon that reaches for the sky.

The Lost World of Socotra Archipelago

If aliens ever visit Planet Earth, Yemen’s “Dragon’s Blood Island” is probably where they would make their first contact.