The Ark of the Covenant in the church of St Mary of Zion in Axum. The Church of St. Mary of Zion in Aksum (Ethiopia). It belongs to the Coptic Patriarch of Ethiopia one of the patriarchs of the Coptic Church. According to tradition, this Basilica is kept the Ark of the Covenant, which was allegedly deposited there by Menelik I, son of Solomon, although we can not fully secure because there is a whole discussion on the exact location, but the theory that is in the Church of St. Mary of Zion is the strongest. The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred object that held the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments, Aaron's rod that budded, and the manna that fell from heaven. The importance of such an object is from its symbol as covenant between God and the Jewish people. Women can not go inside since the old church was destroyed by a pagan queen. Currently the Ark is the central point of worship and Christian worship in Ethiopia, not in vain, the 20,000 Ethiopian temples contains a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. Unable to enter the temple and a monk only properly prepared is the only one who has the privilege to access the building.