Already the ancient Egyptians offered salted fish, lettuce, and onions to their deities during the spring festival known as Shemu. Ma’amoul can be in two generic shapes, a ball or a flattened cookie. Sham Ennessim (Arabic: شم النسيم ‎, Sham Al Nassim or Sham an-Nassim; Egyptian Arabic: Sham Ennesim, IPA: [ˈʃæmm ennɪˈsiːm]; Coptic: ϣⲱⲙ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲥⲓⲙ, Shom Ennisim) is an Egyptian national festival marking the beginning of spring, as it originates from Shemu. Salty fish indicate the mummification process that guarantees eternity and continued life. During the ceremony, all lights are turned off and on only when the resurrection is recalled. Easter in Egypt is the high season for any true world traveler who dreams of traveling to the land of beauty. Some holidays are religious and others are secular, while some can be fixed holidays on the calendar while others are movable. Coptic Orthodox deacons pray during Easter mass, at Holy Cross Church in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, May 1, 2021. Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate Easter on Sunday, May 2. It is a day off for the general population and schools and most shops are closed. The payment is encrypted and transmitted securely with an SSL protocol. Some are real masterpieces. Egyptian cuisine is a mix of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern style cuisines. And the fish is also an ancient Christian symbol for Jesus. Being the lunar Islamic calendar and therefore not fixed concerning the solar year, the date of Sham el-Nessim remained that linked to Christianity. (AP Get Up To 10% OFF On Your Trip to Egypt. For more than 4000 years, ancient Egyptian civilization was able to attain immortality by discovering some of the earliest concepts of art and science and was able to take human conditions to new heights. Get a taste of the past on our trips to Egypt, where you walk in the footsteps of the pharaohs through ancient temples and monuments. Egypt has imported millions of doses of different vaccines, including the Chinese Sinopharm, The British AstraZenka, and the Russian Sputnik V. The ministry stated that the total number of infections that was registered in Egypt thus far is 226,531cases, including 170,008 cases that have been cured, and 13,278 deaths. All rights reserved, Al-Masry Al-Youm. Egypt is a very safe destination for travelers. How about Easter in Egypt? Churches in Egypt celebrated the Good Friday with prayers and masses. But this tradition is getting a little lost, and many people have started using white fish meat. This tradition dates back to the Pharaohs who celebrated the beginning of Spring on this day. He manifests his passion in his role as a Creative Content Writer especially in travel where he strives to evoke a strong sense of place in his write-ups. Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate Easter Easter as a Celebration of the Goddess of Spring . Wafaa Al Nil. A related perspective is that, rather than being a representation of the story of Ishtar, Easter was originally a celebration of Eostre, goddess of Spring, otherwise known as Ostara, Austra, and Eastre. The Easter Holiday in Egypt is celebrated nationwide, named locally as Sham Al Nassim or Sham En-Nassim, the Coptic form is Ϭⲱⲙ ̀ⲛⲛⲓⲥⲓⲙ, pronounced as Sham Ennisim.. Easter Holiday in Egypt is marking the beginning of the Spring season, considered to be a blessing of moderate weather, lots of crops, and delightful colors. The event is based on the Julian calendar, just like in western countries. About The Easter holiday in Egypt Easter is a religious holiday related to Christianity when they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Monday 21 April marks Sham El-Nessim, a festival that takes place in the same breath as Easter, falling on the day after Easter Sunday each year. The customs and rituals used, the painting and eating of colored eggs, as well as fish pickled in salt, can be traced back to the pharaohs. During the entire Easter week, Egyptian Christians visit the church everyday and perform Easter Saturday services. Egypt's Sisi greets Pope Tawadros II marking Coptic Easter Sun, May. Egypt’s Coptic Easter festivities start on Saturday evening with services consisting of psalm reading, hymn singing and burning of incense. Beyond Coptic Easter in Egypt, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Christians worldwide in that all around the world Palm Sunday and Easter have already been celebrated at home (Catholic Christians celebrate Palm Sunday and Easter a week before Coptic Christians). In Egypt, the day after Easter is known as Sham El Nessim, a national festival of the beginning of spring that dates back to ancient Egypt. Fesikh is to be precise the salty, dried and fermented gray mullet preserved in a pickle, the Egyptians eat it auspiciously, it is also a symbol of fertility that should be favored by its consumption. In Egypt, Coptic Easter Monday is celebrated on the same day as Orthodox Easter Monday. Sham el Nassem is the Muslim spring festival with which the descendants of the pharaohs celebrated the end of winter. Locals celebrate with traditional Nubian dances being performed, str… What to pack for Egypt? They differed on the arrangements and procedures followed to celebrate Easter within the limits imposed to curb the spread of the virus. Book your ideal trip now and leave everything to us to organize everything. Many countries are restricting normal Orthodox Easter celebrations, after last year much of the world lived in lockdown. The word is roughly translated as "tips", but its meaning is more nuanced in Egyptian culture and tips are common in many situations. Millions of tourists visit the country every year, relax on its beaches, discover in peace the beauty of its nature, and admire its countless historic monuments without any difficulty in terms of personal security intervening. Perhaps you would never have said it, but Egypt also knows this holiday, which is celebrated religiously by Coptic Christians, but not only the country of the ancient Egyptians hosts an occasion dedicated to spring almost concomitantly, it is called Sham el-Nessim, and it would seem to find the roots of the current Christian Easter. These measures varied between allowing 25 percent participation of the church’s capacity, or holding the mass without worshipers or popular presence, and limiting attendance to monks and deacons only. They differed on the arrangements and procedures followed to celebrate Easter within the limits imposed to curb the spread of the virus. The payment is encrypted and Coptic Easter Sunday is a public holiday. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In Egypt, home to about 10 million of … Sham El Nessim An Egyptian national holiday which marks the beginning of Spring, Shom Ennisim is celebrated after the Eastern Christian Easter. You […], 6-day Egypt itinerary is a good opportunity to discover the greatness and richness of ancient Egyptian civilization. The reason was that Jesus was called the "Lamb of God" because His sacrifice forgives humans' sins. Yes Home » Egypt Blog » Easter traditions in Egypt – How to celebrate Easter in Egypt? It marks the day we officially ditch our winter attire and bring the summer clothes … However, if you take a closer look, you will see some amazing parallels at the Easter of Christians and the originally pharaonic Sham el Nassem festival that all Egyptians celebrate, which are not just of a purely coincidental nature. Unique desert landscapes, attractions, and vacation spots provide a great combination for an exciting trip that you will not forget. Thanks to our experience in organizing the best trips to Egypt, take a tour in Egypt to visit most classic sites such as the pyramids, the Sphinx, the Khan el-Khalili Market, and many more archaeological sites to visit adding that you can take a cruise on the Nile admiring the natural beauty and Egyptian history of our great pharaohs who wrote a very respectful history and civilization. The Ancient Egyptian Holy Week is followed by Easter Monday—known in Egypt as Sham en Neseem. In Egypt, the day after Easter is known as Sham El Nisim, a national celebration of the beginning of Spring, that goes back to the times of ancient Egypt. The weather in Egypt is more often sunny and warm all year round. In our article with the best places to visit during your trip in Egypt, one of the important tips we are talking about is: divide your itinerary into four main regions - Cairo / Alexandria, Egypt Oases, Nile Valley (Luxor / Aswan), and the Red Sea. The Easter celebration, like all Egyptian festivals, lasts an octave-week (known in the Christian calendar as the Holy Week, extending from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday). This is a type of pastry stuffed with dates, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, figs and other fillings of the cook’s choice. The head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II led Easter mass on Saturday with limited attendance at St Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo’s Abbassiya district. Welcome! The egg is a symbol of rebirth – in the Pharaonic tradition as well as in Christianity. 6 Days Cairo & Hurghada Egypt Easter Tour, 8 Days Easter Holiday in Egypt to Cairo, Luxor & Hurghada, 12 Days Pyramids, Nile & Hurghada – Egypt Easter Package, 5 Days Cairo Tour Package – Egypt Easter Tour, 4 Days Egypt Easter Tour – Cairo Tour Package, 6 Days Cairo & Nile Cruise Easter Tour Package, 7 Days Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan – Egypt Easter Holiday, 4 Days Easter Vacation in Egypt To Cairo & Alexandria. Check the best time to visit Egypt when planning your trip to Egypt. The first step is to find out if you need a visa to visit Egypt. © 2020 Egypt Time Travel - All Rights Reserved. ... Egypt. Most Christians celebrate this day as a public holiday by taking a day off for the general population, schools, and most businesses. Even the wettest regions of the country, like Rafah and Alexandria, they only occur 46 days of rain per year. Coptic Easter Sunday Millions of Orthodox Christians around the world often celebrate Easter Sunday at a different time to the date set by many western churches. Egyptian cuisine offers a large number of traditional dishes from stuffed pigeons to delicious delicious desserts. Easter is not only important for children. On your Egypt tour, spend your days in Cairo visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, then sail away on a Nile cruise to Luxor and Aswan by booking an Egypt Nile Cruise Package. In addition to Islamic festivals, there are commemorative dates for political events and those that belong to the Coptic tradition. Therefore, Orthodox Easter is often later than Easter, which is around March. Public holidays are celebrated by the entire population of Egypt. Coptic Orthodox deacon Micheal Assad listens to a girl during Easter mass, at Holy Cross Church in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, May 1, 2021. Traditional Egyptian Food is delicious and there is something for everyone. Preferable food at the festival of Sham el Nessim: Conclusion – Easter trips to experience traditions. The celebration of Easter in Egypt has two very different moments: Coptic Christians follow the rites of the Coptic Christian Church in Coptic Cairo, founded by Saint Mark and Egypt as a whole celebrates the arrival of spring with Sham El Nessim. But the Eastern Orthodox Church still uses the earlier Julian calendar to calculate dates of feasts, which includes Easter. The ancient Egyptians were able to create some of the most incredible monuments and artifacts in the world, gaining immortality from the Pharaonic to the Coptic to the Islamic era. Explore the pyramids of Giza and the most prominent landmarks […], Sail the Nile and discover the tombs and temples of the Pharaohs on a 12-day trip that includes Cairo - Nile Cruise - and Hurghada. So, are you planning your next Easter trip? Click one of our member below to chat on. Another festival dedicated to the auspicious Nile is Wafaa Al Nil or Fidelity of the Nile … (AP 2, 2021 CAIRO - 2 May 2020: Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi sent on Saturday a cable to Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark Diocese to greet him on Easter. protocol. Helpful advice to help you make the right choice. Does it mention Easter? To plan a trip to Egypt, it is important to first solve the bureaucratic procedures for entering the country. Although a minor festival, Easter is a national holiday in Egypt. Egypt is a country with an impressive heritage that surprises all its visitors. Easter is a time of year when the sunny days return, the flowers bloom, and the days get longer and warmer. These travel articles give you all the information you need when getting started planning your trip! It still honors the Christian holiday of Easter Monday of the continuation of Easter as … Easter traditions in Egypt – How to celebrate Easter in Egypt? Christmas in Egypt might spark some curiosity, because, as we know, Egypt is a predominantly Muslim country. What to wear in Egypt? Eid-el-Fitr marks the end … See the Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara, Old Cairo, […], Discover Luxor's best attractions and spend some nights in Cairo and Hurghada for 8 days. There are many opportunities and many new ideas for holidays in Egypt and Egypt travel offers to spend Easter 2021 In Egypt. (Why is Sham el Nessim celebrated?). Read our article about Holidays & Festivals in Egypt in 2021. There are four Islamic holidays and two Christian holidays. Egypt is a country full of history, culture, and landscapes, and knowing the best time to travel to Egypt makes every vacation in Egypt a new adventure that you take. Egyptian Copts articulate their joy in the resurrection of Jesus, just as they were always happy about the return of spring. This, along with Coptic Christmas, is one of the two most important holy days for Egyptian Christians. The rituals and beliefs associated with today’s Sham El-Nessim celebrations link it directly to Ancient Egyptian feasts linking. Hi! Magdy Fattouh (Migo) is a creative content marketer and expert in search engines for over 5 years. Coptic Easter is one of the holiest days on the Coptic Calendar, and it is celebrated on the Sunday after the first full moon that follows the vernal equinox. The feast of Sham el-Nessim – Why is Sham el Nessim celebrated. Easter Monday has always been a public holiday in Egypt as it traditionally coincides with Sham el Nassem. Check & book one of our best offers on Egypt Easter 2021. In case you plan to travel during the month of Ramadan, it will be a very exceptional adventure. Both vegetarians and meat lovers will be filled with delicious food in Egypt. Learn more about Easter traditions in Egypt. During the process, the fish meat is left to rest for a few months before being consumed. 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