It is an annual festival commemorating the unearthing of the True Holy Cross of Christ, on 26 September in Ethiopia. In Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant churches, the event is called the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes that the discovery of the True Cross took place in March, but Meskel was moved from March to September because of the importance of holding a festival during Lent, as well as because the church that commemorates the discovery in Jerusalem was dedicated in September.
The most ancient meaning of these feasts – such as those in Israel, as well – is no doubt seasonal: the month of Maskaram marked the end of the rains, the resumption of work, and the reopening of communication. Ullendorff speculates that Meskel replaced an older festival that had pagan and Hebraic associations, and had Christian sanction around the reign of Emperor Amda Seyon in the fourteenth century.
The Damera bonfire is built by strewing bundles of branches and torches around a conical pyre of poles in Maskel Square in Addis Ababa, decorated with green grass and Abyssinian daisies that symbolize spring. The festival of Maskel is celebrated worldwide regardless of gender, age, language, ethnicity, or religious beliefs.
The meaning of Demera is known to have varied, with some believing that it "marks the ultimate act in the cancellation of sins" while others believe the direction of the smoke and the collapse of the heap signifies future events – much as the Lord offered guidance to the people of Israel with the cloud of smoke he raised above the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:34-38).
Participants from diverse communities gather in the square to chant hymns and pray. During the climax, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church lights the bonfire. At the climax, the priests perform their unique rhythmic dance in front of the pyre. The Holy Cross is believed to bestow blessings upon the participants.
In addition to coordinating communities and safeguarding the element, churches play a key role in gathering families and returning migrants home. It's also a time for families to get together and migrate to go home - meetings that bring new ideas, money, and information from urban centers to rural areas. Prior to the celebration, social disagreements and personal quarters need to be resolved.
However, by promoting their spiritual life through reconciliation, social cohesion, and peaceful coexistence, Maskel is an occasion for Ethiopians to make a contribution to their country's spiritual growth.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/commemoration-feast-of-the-finding-of-the-true-holy-cross-of-christ-00858) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meskel)