Feasts in Egypt

the Official feasts installed by the state, are (under the gregorian calendar):

• on January, 1st (New year),
• on February, 22nd,
• on April, 25th (clearing of the Sinai Peninsula in October war of 1973),
• on May, 1st (Day of work),
• on June, 18th (anniversary of a leading-out from Egypt the British occupational troops),
• on July, 23rd (anniversary of revolution of 1952),
• on September, 23rd (Day of victory over Israel in 1956),
• on October, 6th (anniversary of transition of Suez canal),
• on October, 24th (an entry of the Egyptian army to Suez in 1973),
• on December, 23rd (an entry of the Egyptian army to Port Said in 1956).

However, it yet all. As writes Gerodot, feasts at Egyptians happen time and again in a year, and is frequent enough. And it is valid, Egyptians have saved love to feasts, the truth today more often to the Muslim.

In days of national feasts Moslems and nemusulmane gather. Three calendars (gregorian, Muslim and coptic) and assemblage of traditions do Egypt the country of continuous celebrations, but on rest Egyptians do not know neither religious restrictions, nor silence.

Muslim feasts

Ramadan - month of a post and a feast to five columns of Islam refers to a post within a month ramadana which each believer (except for patients, old men and women in the certain seasons) should observe. nemusulmanam ramadan can seem self-torture: from rising to a sunset it is impossible is, to drink, certainly it is impossible to smoke ooze to indulge corporal, for example sexual, to pleasures.

At this time diurnal life to Egypt calms down, that at night as soon as the gun shot which is giving warning on interruption of a post (in Cairo such gun nicknamed in people Haga Fatma will thunder, is installed in a citadel), to turn to the national feast which at times is pouring out in runaway fun. On the squares children shake on a swing or turn on small manually set in motion, roundabouts, making inexpressible noise by self-made bladder campion cowbells. Apogee of a post - 26th night, Lajlet an ale-shot, night when to Mohammed through archangel Dzhebraila the first revelation has been granted.

In commemorating ramadana the tourists who have not got used to a retarded flow of diurnal life, should manifest the special patience.

As well as all Muslim feasts, 30-day ramadan every time is noted in the terms defined on shorter lunar year, which beginning displaced forward for 11-12 days. As origin of a sickle of young month (new moon) in the Arabian country ministers the beginning of it and other Muslim feasts, oscillations of terms within three days are possible.

Id an ale-fitr. This three-day feast named also Small bajram, finishes month of a post ramadan.

Id an ale-adha. In 70 days after small bajrama, in a pilgrimage end of the month to Mecca, this three-day feast of immolation (big bajram) in memory of how Ibrahim was going to sacrifice son Ismaila is celebrated.

Mavalid - the prohibited feasts sacred. With comprehension of Muslim worth the tradition of feasts mavalid (in an Arabian way birthday, anniversary is revived; in a singular mulid). According to the pure teaching of Islam prohibiting worship sacred, of these feasts (and only in Cairo it is more than them 80) should not be. It is repeated with purpose of heart also by sheikhs of Cairo mosque Al-Azhara. But directly opposite, before Hussein's mosque, the pious Moslems dancing sufii and shaken in a trance mystics, celebrate birthday of prophet Mohammed, and also a feast lasting many days in memory of martyr Hussein.

With the special solemnity in the city of Tanta, that in delta of Nile, day of mystic Saida Ahmed who has died here in 1239 an ale-bodavi is annually celebrated. Hundred thousand people are going to on this feast, that pochtit memory of this magician well-known still inter vivos. The whole week east fair with snake charmers, horse ballet and dancing dervishami lasts.

To procession of pharaons there ascends mulid round mosque Abu an ale-haggag in a temple of Luxor.

Coptic feasts

ZHam en-Nessim - a feast of spring. This feast (its name is translated with Arabian as aroma of the western wind) originates in ancient Egypt where it was noted by pharaons. It was called Opet. The feast of spring accompanied by mass departures for a city and picnics, is necessary at copts on paschal Monday (coincides with orthodox Easter).

Coptic Christmas. Copts always note this feast on January, 7th.

Do not forget in Egypt andsecular feasts .

Spiders of the American soap opera discover rather grandiose Cairo film festival in December of each year. Many of 200 films presented by fifty countries (mainly Arabian and Asian), go with the English sub-titles.

Every February in terrain of the Cairo international fair (Cairo International Fair) the book fair is spent. It lasts week. Here in the core publishing houses of the Near East are presented.

Popular in the countries of Persian gulf the camel trot race gradually win also Egypt. Since 1994 every April beduiny trot race dromedarov in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, near arrange the Ale-arisha. Spectators are admitted, bets (officially) are prohibited.

Fair of camels is arranged every day. The camels who have done a 1000-mile flight darb an ale an arba ` ain (pies of days of a path) from Sudan to Egypt, drive on a market in Darau, that in a half an hour of driving the car northward from Aswan, or in Imhabu, suburb of Cairo. Here since seven mornings sellers of camels bargain with peasants and butchers.