I saw this shrine through parted curtains as I was departing the rock-hewn Church of Debre Sina in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

Baskets at the base of the painting hold what I assume are offerings of grain.

I wish I knew enough about Ethiopian Christian Orthodox art to interpret the painting.

I am fairly confident the largest figure in one of the Archangels. With such splendid wings, armament and raiments, how could he a lesser being?

If you examine this image at the "large" or "original" setting and look closely at the bottom of the canvas, you'll discover the Archangel's lance has pieced the head of an evil-looking entity just to the left of the young woman's robe.

I'm not familiar with the Bible, but a quick internet search suggests the iconography in this painting could pertain to Archangel Michael's victory over Satan, since Archangel Michael is often shown vanquishing the devil with a lance in sculptures and paintings in the Latin tradition.

But I can't explain the lovely woman in the white robe, or the figure depicted in the painting she is holding. The halo indicates the woman is a saint. Is she Ethiopia personified? If she were the Virgin Mary, I'd expect to see her clad in blue, with the infant Jesus near at hand.