Debre Libanos is a monastery in Ethiopia, lying northwest of Addis Ababa in the Semien Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region. Founded in the 13th century by Saint Tekle Haymanot, according to myth, he meditated in a cave for 29 years. The present name Debre Libanos was given by Zara Yaqob in 1445. During this time Debre Libanos and Hayek Istifanos served as the political center of the church. Of course, it retained its political significance until the Italian second time occupation and use as a shelter for many pilgrimage of Orthodox Christian. The modern church was built in the 1950 by Emperor Haile Selassie to replace the one which is destroyed by the fascist Italian during their occupation on 20 May 1937 furthermore they shot 297 and 100 young deacons within short period of time.