Covered in mist, full of legends and mystery, Mount Kilimanjaro mostly known as the roof of Africa stands to attract tourists from all corners of the world.
Folklore dominate Mount Kilimanjaro as well. The awesome feature of the mountain with its snow on the peak had attracted locals to connect the mountain with heavens, believing that it was the seat of God, glorified by the whitish color of the snow.
During dry seasons in the past, locals blamed the mountain’s demons for taking away the rain, but when the rain was too much, they turned their faces to the mountain, bowing, asking God to forgive them.
Father Corwin Low, OP, an electro engineer and computer scientist, had celebrated a Catholic Mass in the Dominican Rite at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro mid last week.
Low belongs to the Western Dominican Province in the United States of America. The expedition started on February 5th and brought a Catholic group to the top of the mountain, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) said in its brief message over the weekend.
The National Parks Authority is the custodian and trustee of Mount Kilimanjaro conservation and management.
The proceeds of the trip will go to Dominican students preparing for the priesthood.
Kilimanjaro region is among leading areas in Tanzania occupied by Christians with Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. Christianity is the way of life among the locals living on the mountain slopes.
Local people living on the Mountain slopes have for a long time, connected its whitish peak with presence of God on the skies of Kilimanjaro area, with several prayers to seek good fortunes from God in the name of the Mountain.
Shrouded in gray, dark clouds and covered in mist most of the day, Mount Kilimanjaro with a height of 5,895 meters is located some 330 kilometers south of Equator, giving an awesome and magnificent inspiration hundreds of miles away.
Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the leading single and freestanding mountains in the world, and it composed of three independent peaks of Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. The entire mountain area is 4,000 kilometers of the earth surface.
Formed some 750,000 years through volcanic eruptions, Mount Kilimanjaro took several geological changes for 250,000 years, and the present features were formed during the past 500,000 years after a number of upheavals and tremors took place to cause formation of 250 volcanic hills and crater lakes including the magnificent Lake Chala down its slopes.
Mount Kilimanjaro represents the worldwide image of Africa and its towering, snow capped symmetrical cone is synonymous with Africa.
Internationally, the challenge of learning about, exploring and climbing this mysterious mountain has captured the imagination of people throughout the world.
To many, the chance to climb this mountain is an adventure of a lifetime.
