Tomb of Bazen in Aksum
Emperor Bazén (Jewish), whose name also appears as Zäbe’esi Bazén, ZäBazén Balthazar or Tazén, was the seventeenth or twenty-first ruler of the Solomonic line according to the shorter King Lists or the twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth ruler of his line according to the longer King Lists. The Birth of Christ is said to have taken place in the eighth year of his reign. The Ethiopian church teaches that Emperor Bazén was one of the Magi who visited The Baby Jesus. He delivered the gift of frankincense. Because papyrus and skins did not survive due to the humidity, of old it has only been oral tradition, or stone inscriptions. His tomb can be visited today in Axum (Aksum) as can the Boswellia grove that the frankincense most likely came from. When the Emperor returned to Axum he announced that the Messiah had been born. There are several accounts of who the Magi specifically were.
The so called Stone of Bazen is now built into one of the walls of the cathedral of Maryam Tseyon at Aksum, or St. Mary of Zion. It is St. Mary of Zion where many believe the Ark of the Covenant is waiting. (Zephaniah 3:10-12: From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my worshipers, the daughter of My dispersed ones, shall bring My offering.)
In addition to the Tomb of Bazén, located to the West of the city of Axum is what is called the Tomb of Ityopis. The Book of Aksum that was kept at St. Mary of Zion church and was written in the 14th to 17th century AD with updates in the 19th century AD states that Ityopis was the great grandson of Noah. The late Ruth Plant identified the location per archeologist Stuart Munro-Hay.
Modern day Israel confirms the great numbers of Beta Israel living in Ethiopia. Bazen ruled at a time of great Judaic ifluence in Aksum. Could Bazen have been one of the great Magi that was one of Daniel’s understudy’s? Join us on a Christian trip to Ethiopia and learn for yourself.
Tags: Ethiopia Manuscripts
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