Christianity in Ethiopia

Ezana, king of Aksum, converts to Christianity, and on his coins the disc and crescent give way to the cross. The church takes shape in connection with Alexandria: for many centuries its head is appointed by the Coptic patriarchs of Egypt. Worship is conducted in Ge'ez, the Scriptures are translated into it, and Ethiopia's book tradition preserves texts lost everywhere else. Ethiopian Christians keep the Sabbath alongside Sunday, practise circumcision and the distinction of clean and unclean foods, and tradition traces the royal house to Shlomo and the Queen of Sheba.