Egypt's First Lady greets Egyptians on Sham el Nessim

CAIRO – 3 May 2021:  Egypt’s First Lady Entissar el-Sisi greeted Egyptians, Monday on Sham el Nessim spring festival.

“I greet the Egyptian people on Sham el Nessim, an occasion that testifies to Egyptians' success in enjoying life whatever the challenges were and their insistence on advocating the values of beauty which they derive from their ancient history and civilization that inspired all humanity,” Egypt's First Lady posted on social media.

Egyptians Celebrate, Monday Sham El-Nessim, which know to be one of the oldest spring festivals since 2,700 BC (the third dynasty of the Old Kingdom).

This festival doesn’t have any religious background. Sham El-Nessim is usually a national holiday, marking the beginning of spring and coming after Easter.

The festival is related to the agricultural background of ancient Egyptians. The name Sham El-Nessim or (inhaling the breeze) is derived from the Coptic language, which was derived from the ancient Egyptian language. The original pronunciation is Tshom Ni Tshom, which means garden meadows.

In ancient times, Egyptians celebrated the holiday at the spring equinox, the date of which could be determined by looking at the direction of the sunlight at sunrise over the pyramids. When Egypt was a Christian country under the rule of the Roman Empire, Sham El-Nessim joined the Christian Easter celebrations. However, when it became an Arab country, Sham El-Nessim stayed on its Easter date and has been scheduled like most Muslim festivals celebrated every year.