Bete Meskel Church lalibela

The chapel of Bet Maskal has been excavated south of Bete Medhanealem in the north’s wall courtyard of Bet Maryam. To the shape of the church, it is difficult to say that this church was originally carved to function as a church, instead it could be a treasury for the church of Bete MARIAM. The interior of the church is 11 meters long and 3.4 meters wide. The roof is supported by four rows of pillars that divide the interior into two sections. The southern Arcade is similar to that of Bete Medhanialem. There are three doors, the Dore opposite Bete Mariam is decorated with an imitation of a monkey head frame at all four corners. The eastern door leads to the church itself. It connects the entrance on the north side with the carved entrance trench in the courtyard of Bete Medhanialem and with the western entrance near the Tomb of Adam. As in a tradition among few Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries, it is customary only men are allowed to get into this church. Women are prohibited from entering. This shows the church has a very important monastic. Examples of such Churches are Debredamo Monastery, Kibran Gabriel, a monastery on Lake Tana, and The old Axum Zion Chapel.