In the remote mountains of Gheralta, northern Ethiopia, a priest travels a winding road every day to reach his church, which is dug into the wall of a cliff, on a precipice of 250 meters. “I have no fear when I climb to the chapel because I do it every day, it’s very difficult, but it seems to me to be achievable,” says Haylesilassie. The walk takes almost two hours and the ascent includes a vertical section of 10 meters, which scales without strings or shoes.

The chapel was built by the Egyptian priest Yemata and is estimated to date from the 6th century. “I get up very early in the morning and work in the house until 6, when my food is ready,” continues the priest, who spends most of his time reading old books in the mountains. Define where you live as very quiet and with no one to talk to. “When the sun sets, I close the chapel and go home.”

Although all the priests of that chapel were buried there when they died, none of them perished in the risky climb.