The Egyptians were the first people to introduce formal religious gatherings such as solemn assemblies, sacred processions, and spoken prayers to the gods, often called litanies. These practices later passed to the Greeks, who learned them directly or indirectly from Egypt. This conclusion seems reasonable because these customs had existed in Egypt from very ancient times, while in Greece they appeared much later. The long history of these traditions in Egypt clearly shows that the Egyptians were their original creators Religious Assemblies in Different Egyptian Cities.
Annual Religious Assemblies in Egypt
Unlike the Greeks, who usually held only one major religious gathering at a time, the Egyptians celebrated many solemn assemblies throughout the year. These festivals were not small local events but large public celebrations that drew people from many regions. Each assembly honored a specific god or goddess and followed its own traditions.
The most important and most crowded festival was held in the city of Bubastis in honor of the goddess Diana. This celebration attracted more people than any other religious gathering in Egypt. The second most important festival took place in Busiris, a city located in the center of the Nile Delta. This festival was dedicated to Isis, who was known to the Greeks as Demeter, or Ceres.
Other major festivals were also held across the country. In Sais, people honored Minerva. In Heliopolis, the Sun god was celebrated. In the city of Buto, the goddess Latona was worshipped, and in Papremis, the god Mars was honored. Together, these festivals formed the religious calendar of Egypt and showed how deeply religion was woven into daily life.
The Journey to Bubastis
The festival at Bubastis was especially famous for the way people traveled to it. Men and women sailed together in boats along the Nile in great numbers. Each boat was filled with joyful travelers. Many women carried castanets and played them loudly, while some men played pipes during the entire journey. Others sang songs, and many clapped their hands in rhythm as the boats moved along the river Private Guide Turkey.
The journey itself was part of the celebration. As the boats passed towns along the riverbanks, they stopped near the shore. Some women continued playing music and singing, while others shouted jokes and playful insults to the women standing on land. Some people danced openly, and a few even lifted their clothing in a bold and humorous manner. These actions were not meant to offend but were part of the traditional celebration.
Celebration at Bubastis
After traveling along the river in this lively way, the crowds finally reached Bubastis. There, they held the main festival with large sacrifices offered to the goddess. The celebration was marked by joy, music, and feasting. More grape wine was consumed during this single festival than during all the other festivals of the year combined.
The Size of the Festival
According to reports from the local people, the number of adult men and women attending the festival reached seven hundred thousand, not including children. This enormous number shows how important the festival of Bubastis was and how powerful religious devotion was in ancient Egypt.
A Lasting Religious Legacy
These large gatherings, processions, music, and rituals later influenced Greek religious life. By adopting Egyptian practices, the Greeks shaped their own ceremonies, proving that Egyptian religion played a major role in the development of ancient Mediterranean culture.
