Exalted Spirits: Venerating the Dead

Have you ever visited a family members’ grave, celebrated a festival of the dead, or prayed to a saint? These are all ways that people venerate the dead, whether they be ancestors, religious figures, or  royalty. 

It’s also a way of remembering the dead and communicating with their spirits in the afterlife. The venerated dead also act as intermediaries between the gods and the living.

In Egypt, believers follow the route the Holy Family traveled after fleeing King Herod. Pilgrims visit places that were blessed by the Holy Family, sites of religious miracles, as well as ancient churches and monasteries.

People are also venerated in the afterlife for their achievements, religiosity, or good deeds during their lives. These are the most common intercessors through which people communicate with the gods, and are sometimes especially revered in a specific region or town.

There are many ways people veneration of the dead. Shrines are a common means of honoring saints, ancestors, and holy figures. They can be set up in public, in places of worship, at tombs, or in private houses as a designated space for veneration and remembrance. 

In modern Egypt, another common way to venerate the dead is through moulids, birthday celebrations of local saints. This is primarily an Islamic tradition, but there are also some Coptic Christian moulids celebrated throughout Egypt.

One of the most prominent moulids takes place every year in the city of Luxor, Egypt, and attracts pilgrims from all over the country.

Another form of veneration entails the living speaking directly to saints, ancestors, or divinities through prayers or letters, and asking for intercession with the gods.

But perhaps most importantly, veneration is a way of communicating with dead loved ones and remembering their lives. It is a means of giving life to those who have passed on and ensuring their memory is not forgotten.