Stock Photo - Sculptures in the compound of St Mary of Zion, Aksum, which date possibly back to old pre-christian aksumite kongdoms Aksum is the most important religious center of the ethiopian orthodox church the Ark of the covenant, which is the holy of holy of the ethiopian church is kept in a small chapel in the compound of St Mary of Zion The remains of the Ark of the covenant, which have been brought to Ethiopia by Menelik I, son of Salomon and the queen of sheba, are guarded by a monk and are not accessible by anyone Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Aksum, September 2010