Worshippers entering Medhanealem Eritrean Orthodox Church remove their shoes as a sign of reverence, either leaving them in the small narthex at the entrance or carrying them inside and placing them at their feet. Men stand on the left. A few wear suits, while others dress more casually. Those who will be taking communion wear a traditional white shawl, draped crosswise over their regular clothes. Women stand on the right, wearing modest dresses and white prayer shawls, which they use to cover their heads. At the beginning of the morning prayers that precede the Divine Liturgy, relatively few worshippers are present, but by the middle of liturgy the pews are quite full. In the back of each pew there are bibles in the native Eritrean language of Tigrinya, as well as plastic binders containing songs in Tigrinya and in Ge'ez, the liturgical language of the Eritrean Orthodox Church. There is no need to refer to a service book, thanks to a digital projector that displays the text of the service on a large screen in the right front of the church. The text is arranged in three columns: Ge'ez, Tigrinya, and English. Most of the service is in Tigrinya, while parts are in Ge'ez; the English translation is for the benefit of the younger generation., Medhanealem ("Savior of the World") Eritrean Orthodox Church was founded in the late 1990s, shortly after the outbreak of war between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 1998. Many Eritrean families had been attending the local Ethiopian Orthodox Church but were not happy with the church's position on the war., Debre Selam Medhane Alem Eritrean Orthodox Church of Washington DC. You can also make your payment in cash or credit card by coming to the church office in person. PLEASE NOTE: All contributions are 501(c)(3)tax deductible through Debre Selam Medhane Alem Eritrean Orthodox Church of Washington metropolitan area, DC..