Queen of Sheba

The Queen Sheba is closely tied with the identity of the Ethiopian people. She was the first ancestor of Ethiopia’s imperial kings, known as the “Solomonic Dynasty, the founder of the Ethiopian civilization and beloved by Ethiopian Christians for 3,000 years. Ethiopians believe Sheba visited Jerusalem, was seduced by Solomon, and gave birth to their son Menelik. Menelik visited Solomon in Jerusalem when he was older and brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Aksum (Axum), where it now resides in St. Mary of Zion Church. Thus, through divine providence Menelik having brought the Ark to its final resting place defines Ethiopians as the new chosen people of God even before they become Christian. While in Jerusalem Queen Sheba recognized that the miraculous wood from the Tree of Life was there and declared it was destined to produce the True Cross which shows the strong interrelation between the biblical Queen Sheba, Tree of Life and the True Cross. Ethiopians also believe they share the same blood-line with Mary and Christ as Solomon (the forefather of Jesus), father of Menelik and husband of Queen of Sheba, became king of Ethiopia and its Solomonic dynasty.