Ethiopian Church Washington DC
A congregant bows to kiss the holy Gospel during a service at Re'ese Adbarat Debre Selam Kidist Mariam Church, an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church, in Washington, D.C., Saturday, April 5, 2025.
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In the U.S. capital, hundreds of Ethiopians dressed in white tunics gather at the DSK Mariam Church to chant and pray in an ancient liturgical language of one of the oldest branches of Christianity. Congregants and religious leaders say it’s crucial to preserve the Ge'ez language and other traditions of the faith for future generations in the bustling District of Columbia religion, where many Ethiopians in the U.S. live. DSK Mariam Church was founded in Washington in 1987. It now has more than 1,500 registered members. Church leaders say more than 4,000 people attend services each week.