Scroll through the Exalted Spirits Exhibition

The dead, whether kings, revered individuals, or family members, have been venerated in some way in Egypt throughout its 5000-year history. These exalted spirits were venerated not only as semi-divinities, but also because they could intercede with the gods for the living. 

The conference and exhibition were organized by the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) , The American University in Cairo (AUC) and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) and opened on November 9th, 2021 in Cairo.

Different kinds of individuals were revered. Highest among them were royal figures, the Holy Family, and the Prophet Muhammad. These were followed by prominent pious individuals with miraculous powers, including different saints and, lastly, certain deceased family members.

This small, painted stela shows king Amenhotep I (ca. 1549-1524 BC) striding forward. He and his mother, Ahmose-Nefertari were particularly revered by the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina, the village for the workmen who decorated the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. 

This tradition of veneration and intercession continued into the Coptic era with the Holy Family. The Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven, was particularly honored. In Islam Muslims hold the Prophet Muhammad, his family and the awliya  (saintly men and women) in high esteem.

The tradition continued with the advent of Christianity with its many saints being established throughout Egypt. For Muslims, Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet’s family) are chief amongst Egypt’s patron saints followed by the awliya. Egypt is full of hundreds of shrines commemorating and celebrating them.  

Often, in Coptic homes images of ancestors are placed in special corners where incense and candles are burnt before them. In Muslim contexts, while ancestors are not generally regarded as intercessors, their memory continues through pictures, whose presence radiates blessings. 

The rituals of veneration vary, encompassing shrines in houses, public shrines, festivals (mawalid), and cemetery visits. 

Among the celebrations common in Egypt today are the saints' festivals, or moulids. Part religious gathering, part community fair, these festivals honor local saints and are part of a long-standing tradition amongst the Muslim and Christian communities of Egypt.

There are many historical examples of the veneration of holy figures, royals, celebrities, and family ancestors. The moulid festivals remind us that the tradition of veneration is not only a thing of the past, but an ongoing part of modern religious and social life.