April 21 is a special day known as “Grounation Day” for the Rastafari Family worldwide. On April 21, 1961, three Rastafari brethren from the Island of Jamaica, arrived at the Imperial Palace in Ethiopia bearing gifts to meet with His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah. They were part of a fact-finding mission sponsored by the Jamaican Government to discuss the issue of REPATRIATION. The first Rastafari brethren, Brother Alvaranga, presented H.I.M. with a wood-carved map of Africa with a portrait of the Emperor on one side of the wooden case. The second Rastafari brethren, Brother Mack, presented H.I.M. with photographs of the Rastafari brethren in Jamaica and also gave H.I.M. a painting of Jamaica. The third Rastafari brethren, Brother Planno, gave H.I.M. a woven scarf in red, gold and green. H.I.M. said "Is it you that wove it". He said "Yes". He said "Thank you again". The three Rastafari brethren from Jamaica also gave H.I.M. a photograph of a widow and six children - her husband, a Rastafari brethren, was shot and killed by the Police in Jamaica. In return, H.I.M gave each of the three Rastafari brethren a gold medal for their good work and told them that they and the Ethiopians were “blood brothers”.

The next day, the three Rastafari brethren met three Ethiopian Orthodox priests -- Abuna Basilios and Bishops Theophilus and Phillipos. The Abuna said through an interpreter that His Majesty is a Christian. The Rastafari brethren told the Abuna that they see H.I.M. as God through the Prophesies of the Books of the Bible. They asked the Abuna these Questions: If the Throne of David is the Said Throne that H.I.M. is now sitting on? The Abuna said Yes! Does H.I.M. bear these Titles as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah; Prince of Peace? He said yes! The three Rastafari brethren clarified their Understanding of certain chapters of the Bible which point to the Coming of the New Messiah. THE ABUNA SAID IF IT IS THE BIBLE THAT RASTAFARI BRETHREN ARE INTERPRETING THEN RASTAFARI CAN CONTINUE IN DOING SO. The Abuna then gave each of them an Ethiopian national robes that they may know themselves as “Ethiopians”.