The Covenant's Veil

Antohin has produced an exciting and important work that is also a pleasure to read. The ethnographic vignettes that Antohin offers draw the reader in and make tangible her complex theoretical interventions. These ethnographic insights are further enhanced by her attention to and analysis of her own positionality in relation to her fieldwork and interlocutors. Her rich descriptions of the tabots, rituals, and other unique aspects of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity are unique and evocative, and are described with precision and superb contextualization, making this a valuable book for scholars and non-specialists alike---Andreana Prichard, University of Oklahoma, author of Sisters in Spirit: Christianity, Affect, and Community Building in East Africa, 1860-1970 Antohin's The Covenant's Veil is a delight to read and a valuable contribution to the anthropological study Christianity. In exquisite ethnographic detail, the author teaches novel perspectives on Ethiopian Orthodoxy and everyday devotional culture more broadly.---James S. Bielo, Northwestern University A holistic approach to studying the multi-faceted features of EOTC worship, from the calendric organization to descriptions of lay devotional engagement, The Covenant's Veil, by the great-great-granddaughter of the last emperor of Ethiopia, attempts to tell a story, albeit indirectly, of finding one's self in tandem with a scholarly dedication to studying the history and realities of Ethiopian religiosity and the covenant. A gratifying effort!---Hewan Semon Marye, Junior Professor of Ethiopian Studies at Universität Hamburg and author of Jesting the Lion: Humor in Modern Ethiopia