Ge'ez

Ge'ez is an ancient Semitic language from Ethiopia, originally used as a liturgical language by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It is no longer spoken conversationally but remains the liturgical language of these communities, similar to Latin in the Roman Catholic Church. Ge'ez also played a significant role in Ethiopian history, serving as a language of literature, administration, and culture from around the 5th century CE until the 12th century. Its script, Ge'ez script, is also the basis for modern Ethiopian and Eritrean alphabets.