The Egyptian people mark today Sham el Naseem feast, Spring Festival. Families went out to gardens and national parks since the early morning to celebrate this day.

The feast of Sham al-Naseem is one of the Pharaonic feasts. It is celebrated by all Egyptians, Muslims and Christians.

Pharaonic feasts were related to the astrological phenomena and their relation to nature and life. They celebrated the Spring Feast on a date determined by the Spring equinox. On that day, night and day are equal when the sun rises over Aries. It is on the 25th of Barmehat. It says in their holy book that they thought that this day marked the beginning of creation.



The Pharaohs called this feast the name of (Shamus Feast) which means the life resurrection. Then the name changed through time especially in the Coptic Age to the name (Sham). Then the word Naseem was added to refer to the arrival of spring.


The Pharaohs began to celebrate this feast officially on 2700 B.C by the ends of the Third Pharaoh dynasty. However, some historians claim that it was known in the Heliopolis feasts and at the time of sun worship.


It was, then, was adopted by the Christians. When Christianity entered Egypt, the feast accompanied the ancient Egyptians feast. It was celebrated the day after Easter. The Pharaohs were celebrating the first night of Sham al-Naseem with religious celebrations. With the sunrise, Sham -al-Naseem turned into a public feast in which all the people participated, even the Pharaoh and the highest officials.


Sham al-Naseem had special food, customs, and traditions which became characteristic of the celebration of the feast itself as it moved through different ages to recent time. Examples of the traditional food of this feast are like eggs, salted fish, onions, and lettuce. Many people both East and West, took many of the features of the original celebrations of Sham al-Naseem into their own spring festivities.