In the cities of Heliopolis and Buto, religious assemblies are held mainly for one purpose: to offer sacrifices to the gods. These gatherings are simple compared to other festivals and do not include unusual ceremonies or dramatic rituals. The focus remains on prayers, offerings, and traditional rites performed by priests in an orderly manner.
However, the festival held at Papremis is very different. In addition to sacrifices and standard religious rituals, it includes a dramatic and violent custom that sets it apart from all other Egyptian festivals The Feast of Isis at Busiris.
Preparations at Papremis
As the sun begins to set on the day of the festival, the activities at Papremis change in tone. Only a small number of priests remain inside the temple, attending to the sacred image of the god. Meanwhile, the majority of the priests move to the entrance of the temple. These priests arm themselves with wooden clubs and take their positions at the temple gate.
Facing them is a large group of men, numbering more than one thousand. These men are also armed with wooden clubs. They are not priests but worshippers who are fulfilling religious vows. Both groups stand opposite each other, creating a tense and dramatic scene at the temple entrance.
The Sacred Image and the Conflict
The image of the god is kept inside a small wooden shrine covered with gold plates. One day before the festival begins, this shrine is moved from the main temple to another sacred building. When the moment comes, the few priests still attending the image place the shrine on a four-wheeled cart and begin to pull it forward.
As they try to bring the image back into the temple, the priests standing at the gate block the entrance. This act appears to be deliberate and symbolic. At this point, the worshippers step forward to defend the god’s honor. They attack the priests blocking the way, who respond with force Private Tours Istanbul.
A Violent Ritual
A fierce fight follows, with both sides striking each other using wooden clubs. Blows are exchanged freely, and heads are often broken. According to observation, many people suffer serious injuries during the conflict. Although the Egyptians insist that no one ever dies from these wounds, it seems likely that some do lose their lives due to the severity of the blows.
Despite the violence, this fight is considered a sacred ritual rather than an act of disorder. The participants believe they are honoring the god through this dramatic display of devotion.
The Myth Behind the Festival
The local people explain the origin of this custom through a traditional story. They say that the mother of the god Mars once lived inside the temple at Papremis. Mars himself was raised far away and did not know his mother in his early life. When he became a man, he decided to visit her.
When he arrived at the temple, the attendants did not recognize him and refused him entry. Even though he tried, they succeeded in keeping him out. Angered by this treatment, Mars went to another city and gathered a group of men. With their help, he returned and attacked the attendants, forcing his way into the temple to reach his mother.
Meaning of the Ritual
According to the Egyptians, this myth explains why a ritual fight with sticks is held each year in honor of Mars. The struggle represents his effort to enter the temple and reunite with his mother. In this way, violence becomes a symbolic act tied to divine history and religious tradition.
