Yes.
The ancient Egyptians celebrated holidays , just as we celebrate it now. They
had holidays like ours, and even their holidays were similar to ours.
Their holidays, even if they are so many
that we cannot count them; However, they are similar to our holidays in their
connection with religious occasions.
The
holidays received great attention in the literature of the ancient Egyptians,
which invites us to contemplate and consider. Here is the Palermo Stone - which
dates back to 2500 years BC - reveals to us many of these holidays, and the
walls of the temples of Kom Ombo, Edfu,
Esna, Dendera and Abydos are also awe-inspiring. With many lists bearing the
names of many of these holidays.
The ancient Egyptians' holidays varied. Between official holidays; Such as New Year's Day, Flood Day,
and popular holidays; Related to a specific category or occasion, such as
Christmas, wedding anniversary, and local holidays; Specific to a specific
region or city, such as the birthday of the local deity and the anniversary of
his victory over his enemy.
These
holidays share a clear connection with religion and belief, as…
The ancient Egyptians celebrated
it by decorating the temples, lighting them, singing songs, and presenting
offerings and sacrifices, as the crowds gathered and the king led them towards
the Holy of Holies, carrying in his hands offerings of meat, flowers, fruit,
birds, milk, and perfumes.
In the city of Thebes, the Egyptians were celebrating the feast of (the transfer of the god Amun from the Temple of Karnak to the Temple of Luxor), where the procession would emerge from the Temple of Karnak, led by the priests who carried on their shoulders the boats of the Theban Trinity (Amun, Mut, and Khonsu) - and the boat of Amun alone was carried by thirty priests - they exited from The Holy of Holies in the temple until they reach the shore of the Nile, so they put the sacred boats on real boats in the Nile and sail them south towards the Temple of Luxor.
Crowds
gather on the eastern bank of the Nile, singing and chanting for the
procession. The priestesses who sing joyful songs and recite joyful hymns also
gather with them, carrying musical instruments. Because of the crowding, the
police secure the procession and the crowds. On the shore of the Nile in front of
the Luxor Temple, the boats stop and the priests carry the boats of the Trinity
on their shoulders and the crowds walk. Behind them are happy singers.
The
women dance and play musical instruments, and upon arriving at the temple, the
king presents offerings and sacrifices, and the rituals continue in the Luxor
Temple for ten days before the procession returns again to the Karnak Temple in the same way. Celebrations will
be held there for another eleven days
The strange thing is that the current residents of Luxor still celebrate their religious occasions in the same way as the ancients. On the anniversary of the birth of Abu al-Hajjaj al-Luxar, its visitors take a stroll by standing on the shore of the Nile and crossing it with crowded boats on its shores.
As for the feast of the “beautiful encounter”
- that was its name - the Egyptians They celebrate it when the procession of
the goddess (Hathor) moves from her temple in Dendera, where the priests carry her
boat - surrounded by the crowds of people - and head with it south across the
Nile River until they reach the temple of Edfu, where her husband, the god
(Horus), spends fifteen days with him in a beautiful meeting, and during The
procession stops at the city of Esna, where its ruler presents the procession’s
companions from the large crowd with 500 loaves of bread, 100 vessels of wine,
and 30 shoulders of livestock.
The
people of Esna were and still are known for their generosity - and the further
south the procession sailed, the greater the number of crowds. In front of Edfu and on the shore of the Nile, the ruler of
Edfu - along with the priests and crowds - awaits the procession of Hathor, who descends upon them with her joy,
making them more splendid and radiant. Offerings are offered and songs and
hymns are sung. And upon arriving at the temple; The god Horus escorts the
goddess Hathor away
from the eyes of the crowds, and they spend beautiful times together in
happiness and contentment. The crowds remain gathered outside the temple,
singing and dancing for fifteen days, waiting for Hathor to leave and return to Dendera again!
Another
holiday of great importance to the ancient Egyptians
is what is known as the Feast of Heb-Sed
or the Thirtieth Feast, in which the thirtieth year of the king’s accession to
the throne is celebrated. The king appears on his throne in full strength, and
the crowds around him are happy and rejoicing, waiting for the king’s word. In
which he promises them a new thirtieth anniversary full of prosperity and
prosperity, and he proves this to them by rebuilding some of the temple’s
shrines with gold, silver, and precious stones!