The Opet Festival was held, at various points in EA history, either in II Akhet, III Akhet, or straddled both. We are now in II Akhet, and III Akhet begins next week on November 10th. To celebrate restoration work on the Grand Processional Way, aka the Avenue of Sphinxes, a new Opet Festival will be held, presumably sometime next week on or around Thursday. A precise date and time has not been given, why? but the whys and wherefores of approximately what will happen is disclosed in this article in Al-Monitor from as long ago as July this year [www.al-monitor.com]

From the article:

"The upcoming event, El-Saghir added, will revive the celebration of Opet Day. It was one of the famous and important feasts in ancient Egypt. It is dedicated to Amun and is celebrated in the Coptic month of Paopi, when the harvest season ends, between Oct. 11 and Nov. 10.

“Opet Festival was held to honor the Thebes’ local trinity: Amun-Re along with his consort goddess Mut and their son Khonsu. During that festival, there was a procession from Karnak Temple. Three statues representing these gods were placed in gilded barques and carried by priests along the Grand Processional Way to Luxor Temple and back,” he said.

Karnak Temple, on the eastern bank of Luxor, was the venue of the cult of Amun, God of Thebes. Luxor temple, three kilometers south of Karnak, is where he married Mut.

“In the upcoming celebration, people representing priests will carry the statue of Amun from Karnak Temple, Mut’s from her temple and Khunsu's as well on sacred boats, exactly like ancient Egyptians did,” he said, adding that lighting, Pharaonic attire, performances and music will add excitement to the modern festival.

He pointed out that the Opet Festival’s rituals are detailed in Luxor Temple, adding, “The inscriptions also reveal many features of that feast such as music, dance, military marches, presenting offerings and horse shows.”

Teaser video released yesterday by the ministry, but with no information. I thought the "mummy parade" was fantastic, and this recreation of the Opet Festival could be even better.

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2021 06:06AM by Corvidius.