Two civilians were killed and 14 policemen injured here as a result of bomb attack and stoning by "irresponsible individuals" while Orthodox followers were escorting the Ark of the Covenant replicas to their respective churches, police said Saturday.

Several policemen were injured by a bomb as well as a number of stones thrown against the faithful and security forces while accompanying the Ark of the Covenant replicas to a church around a police station in an area called Ferensay, said a statement issued from the Addis Ababa Police Commission.

On Friday, celebrations of Timkat went into the second and final day. On the second day of Timkat, the Ark of the Covenant replicas are returned to the churches in which they are held.

Timkat, a colorful religious festival celebrating the baptism of Jesus Chris, ranks second in importance only to Christmas for Ethiopia's 40 million Orthodox Church followers and draws tens of thousands into Addis Ababa's streets each January 19 and 20.

An individual died in the premise of the church in a stampede caused when the irresponsible individuals threw stones at the faithful at Ferensay, said the police statement.

Similarly, an individual died in stampede when illegal persons threw stones at the faithful and the Ark of the Covenant replicas at the gate of a church popularly called Addisu Michael, it said.

Seven policemen injured while 17 vehicles were shattered with stones thrown by irresponsible individuals in the area locally called Sholla Gebeya as the faithful accompanying the Ark of the Covenant replicas to their respective churches, it said.

Furthermore, 17 windows at a nearby health center were smashed while some property of a police station suffered damage, police said.

The ceremony continued after police and the public brought law and order by picking up illegal individuals, according to police.

In the statement, police commended the efforts demonstrated by the faithful in picking up suspects bent on disturbing the ceremony.

Some 42 individuals were apprehended and a team was set up to investigate the case.

Source: Xinhua