History

Debre Berhan (ደብረ ብርሃን) is a Holy & Historic City where Light descended from heaven. Debre Birhan is currently the Amhara Regional Capital City of North Shoa (Showa). Debre Brehan, was the Capital City of Ethiopia in 15th Century is one of the oldest Cities in the World with untold stories.

The Word “Debr" in Amharic means Mountainous place and “Berhan" means Light. “Debre Berhan" means the City of Light or the illuminating City. The name Debre Birhan was given by the Great King and Philosopher Atse (Emperor) Zera Yaiqob (Zarayaqob) after a miraculous light had descended from heaven and illuminated the City for several continuous Years. Emperor Zerayaqob’s father, Emperor Dawit (David) was one of the greatest Emperors of Ethiopia who had built a great City at the present place of Addis Ababa (Berara) which was destroyed and looted by the Islamist Gragn Ahmed and his Ottoman collaborators in the 16 Century. That is why Emperor Menelik II re-established and rebuilt Addis Ababa in this same location after 400 Years. Emperor Zera Yaqob reigned from 1434-1468 AD. Only after the Birth of Christ 32 Amhara Emperors (King of Kings) crowned and ruled Ethiopia peacefully with law and order.

The recent Emperors/Empress are: Emperor Gelawudios, Emperor Menelik, Empress Zewuditu and Emperor Haile Selassie. North Showa i.e. Tegulet, Menz, Merhabete and Bulga are the guardians of Ethiopia. Emperor Dawit was the ruler of Ethiopia who has brought the original Cross of Jesus Christ to Debre Birhan from Jerusalem by the help of Queen Eleni. North Shoa is the birthplace of famous Emperors and Kings, Saints, Painters, Brave Military leaders, Academicians and Philosophers. It was against this Great and prosperous Christian Empire that Ahmed Gragn (Ahmad ibn ibrahim al-ghazi) declared war in collaboration with the Ottoman Turks in the 16th Century ignoring the words of Prophet Muhammad which says “Don’t Touch Ethiopia".