Bete Merkorios Church, Lalibela

Bete Merkorios, the House of Saint Merkorios, is one of the fascinating rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. This church is accessible through a long, narrow, pitch-black tunnel from the Bete Gabriel-Rufael side. It may once have been larger than its current size. The front and roof sections of the building collapsed and were neglected for a long time until local people raised funds for reconstruction work in 1982.

The Ark, named after the saint and the church, was brought from the Church of Bete Amanuel. Unlike many other churches in Lalibela, the church is not oriented or customarily planned according to the functioning sections of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Some findings and objects, such as ankle shackles discovered in trenches, suggest that the building may once have been used for secular purposes, including as a prison and court. Therefore, its dedication to Saint Merkorios likely came much later than the surrounding churches of Lalibela. There also seems to be a lack of fine carvings and decorations inside the church.

One remarkable feature worth mentioning is a stunning 15th-century mural painted at the base of a column, depicting saints in royal costumes holding a Gondarine processional cross in their hands. Before painting the walls, cotton fabrics mixed with straw, cow blood, and mud were plastered onto the church walls. It is difficult to imagine how beautiful the Church of Merkorios must have looked when its walls were still covered with these magnificent paintings that once adorned the interior.