Festivals and Public Holidays in Egypt
Egypt is known for its amazing and unconventional festivals. There are different types of public holidays in Egypt including Religious, customary, and national holidays. The Egyptians are known for their personable customs and traditions, starting from different clothes, types of food, and different holidays destinations. Here are some public holidays in Egypt.
Religious Egypt Festivals
Religious Egypt festivals are divided between Islamic & Coptic festivals and here are the most popular Egypt holidays among them:
Islamic Holidays & Festivals
The first of Moharam: this special day represent the beginning of the Islamic calendar and it is a holiday for all the Egyptians. According to Sunni Islam, Egyptians fast on that day.
The 12th of Rabea Awaal: it is one of the most mesmeric Egypt holidays for all Muslims around the world as this day represents the date of birth of the prophet Muhammed “Peace and blessings be upon him” and it is called “Mawlid El-Nabi”. The four Sunni schools of law approved on the Mawlid observance. In such captivating festivals, Streets & Mosques are decorated and the food is distributed.
The 27th from Ragab: this festival is called “Laylat Al Isra W Al Mi’raj”, in which prophet Muhammed peace and blessings be upon him got a spiritual and a physical journey on the steed Buraq to heavens. The events of Isra & Mi’raj are referred to in the Holy Quran.
Ramadan: it is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is considered the most important Islamic month because of its traditions and its festival at the end of it. During the whole of this month, fasting is fard during the daylight except for those who suffer from illness, have to travel, children, elderly, breastfeeding, and pregnant women. They don’t eat, drink, or get into a sexual relationship from sunshine until sunset. At the end of this month, there is Eid El-Fitr, in which all Muslims gather together to celebrate such a mesmerizing occasion.
Eid El-Fitr: It’s one of the most famous Egypt festivals, this amazing celebration marks the end of Ramadan. It is the first day of the month of Shawwal. It starts with Salat el-Eid and then people gather in lovely celebrations everywhere eating different types of food especially Ka’ak and biscuits. They go to different gardens, try Felucca in the Nile, and practice different wonderful activities.
The 9th of Dhu’l-Hijjah: the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah represents the last month of the Muslim calendar and it has a very special occasion for the Muslims called “The Day of Arafat”. It is followed by the occasion of the sacrifice. Muslims go to Mecca to do their holly visit once a year so this day is a holiday and almost all Muslims fast on that day.
Eid El-Adha: it is called “the festival of sacrifice” as Muslims celebrate the sacrifice that Ibrahim was about to do with his son Isma’il as an act of obedience to the orders of God but God provided a lamb instead of the sacrifice of Ibrahim’s son. This day comes on the tenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
Coptic Egypt Holidays & Festivals
The Feast of Neyrouz: this day represents the first day of the Coptic calendar. There are 13 months in the Coptic calendar, 12 months of them contain 30 days and the last month contains only five days.
The 7th from January: this is a very important date for Christians as it marks the birth of Jesus Christ.
The 25th of January: this date marks “Christmas”, which is one of the most important Coptic Egypt holidays that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a public holiday for most nations of the world in which there are many customs and traditions including gift giving, completing an Advent calendar, Christmas music and caroling, lighting a Christingle. There is also an exchange of Christmas cards, church services, a special meal, pulling Christmas crackers and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity, scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe scenes, and holly. In the night of this celebration, there is Christmas Eve, the dinnertime for the majority of Christians to eat different types of food. Lots of tourists favorite to come to Egypt in this time by booking a trip through Egypt Christmas tours.
Coptic Easter Sunday: most of the Orthodox Christians celebrate this public holiday in April, which represents the memory of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, three days after being crucified. The Holly week follows the fasting of 55 days by the Christians, which starts with Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday “Jesus’ Last Supper”, Sad Friday “The Crucifixion of Jesus”, Holy Saturday “Easter’s Eve” and ends with Easter Sunday. In this festival, Christians buy new colorful clothes and eat different types of food including; fish, chicken, Fattah, and many other traditional Egyptian dishes. lots of tourists love to spend this celebration in Egypt through Egypt Easter tours.
National Holidays in Egypt
January 25th: this day represents the beginning of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. In the period, Egyptians decided to revolt against the reign of their president, Hosni Mubarak, who ruled for 30 years. This day also resembles the National Police Day.
April 25th: it is Sinai Liberation Day, when all Israel Military Forces withdrew from the land of Sinai in 1982.
May 1st: it’s one of the favorite Egyptian Holidays for the Egyptian workers in all governmental jobs in Egypt.
June 30th: it represents the Egyptian Revolution in 2013 to get rid of the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.
July 23rd: this is the day of the Egyptian Revolution in 1952 and it is a national day in Egypt.
October 6th: it is the Armed Forces Day that celebrates the success of the Egyptian Military in October war.
There are social Egypt festivals including Mothers’ Day, which is a day for all mothers to get majestic gifts from their children. There is also Sham El-Nessim Day, in which most families get out of their houses, eating fesseekh, onions, and color eggs in the beautiful weather of Egypt.
Ancient Egypt Festivals
Leylet en Nuktah: Because of the true love of the ancient Egyptians to the Nile, Beautiful women were sacrificed to appease the gods and get the flooding to the Ancient Egyptian Lands. Modern Egyptians still celebrate such a memorable day on June 17th but instead of sacrificing, they go on picnics and camp together as the Nile is the inner soul of the whole of the Egyptian Life.
Wafaa Al Nil: Fidelity of the Nile or Wafaa Al-Nil is another important Egyptian festival that takes place annually in September. In Modern Egypt, Children start practicing different activities in such a festival like painting competitions for children, and Egyptians go to concerts and reading poetry. This occasion really resembles the Pharaonic legend of revering the Nile and its bounties.
If you prefer to visit Egypt next summer and share Egyptians in their festivals, please check our Egypt tour Packages and book a suitable trip for your next vacation.
