Gish Abay is best known as the source of the
Abay, or
Blue Nile, also known as
Felege Ghion in
Ge'ez, the liturgical language of Ethiopia. In scientific logic based on river basin, the source of Abay (the blue Nile) is Lake Tana. it is basically because the water volume that inters in to lake Tana from Gilgel Abay, Picolo Abay is only one third of the water volume that leaves Lake Tana at the outlet as there are more than 60 rivers that enter into lake Tana among which 5 rivers including Gilgel Abay holds 93% of the Abay river at the outlet of Lake Tana. In which the rest four rivers other than Gilgel Abay originates from Gonder Province. Above all the small springs at Gish-Abay town are by far smaller than the other rivers that join the small spring discharges from Gish-Abay Abay, for example Kelti river from Agew-Awi zone is by far larger than the three springs discharge at Gish-Abay town. Its only the catholic priest Pedro Paez, who described it as the source of Abay on his religious mission to preach Catholic to the orthodox Christians for acceptance by the local people. Felege Ghion consists of three small springs found within a diameter of about 20 meters. These waters are believed to have a healing power and considered holy by the
Ethiopian Church. The first European recorded as having visited the source of Blue Nile at Gish Abay is
Pedro Páez, a Spanish missionary, who arrived at these springs 21 April 1618. In the 18th century, the culture and religion of the local people of Gish Abay was chronicled in detail by the 18th century explorer,
James Bruce. The British Consul
Robert Cheesman was one of the later discoverers who published a geographical description of the area. A more recent expedition is made by a group of American navigators who navigate the river from its source at Gish to the
Mediterranean Sea, led by geologist
Pasquale Scaturro, whose adventure was related in the film
Mystery of the Nile. About 100 meters north of the source of Abay is the church of Gish Abay Felege Ghion Abune Zerabruk Monastery, which has been one of the most respected centers for church education over the past centuries. Although local inhabitants believe the monastery was founded in the 17th century by a local saint called
Abune Zerabruk, whose memory is honored with a celebration at the church each year on
Tir 13 (January 20), Cheesman speculated that the name of the saint is a corruption of the explorer James Bruce. There is also another church in the town, dedicated to Saint Mary, with considerable spiritual significance. Together with other sites in Sekela woreda, like
Fasildes Castle and
Lake Gudera, Gish Abay is now identified as a notable tourist destination in Gojjam. == History ==