The Festival of Bast
In ancient
Egypt, this was the greatest festival. Herodotus describes thousands of
individuals near the city of Bubastis, out and about rafting on
the Nile, having one splendid party:
2.60 "The following are the proceedings on occasion of the assembly at
Bubastis: Men and women come sailing all together, vast numbers in each boat,
many of the women with castanets, which they strike, while some of the men pipe
during the whole time of the voyage; the remainder of the voyagers, male and
female, sing the while, and make a clapping with their hands. When they arrive
opposite any of the towns upon the banks of the stream, they approach the shore,
and, while some of the women continue to play and sing, others call aloud to the
females of the place and load them with abuse, while a certain number dance, and
some standing up uncover themselves. After proceeding in this way all along the
river-course, they reach Bubastis, where they celebrate the feast with abundant
sacrifices. More grape-wine is consumed at this festival than in all the rest of
the year besides. The number of those who attend, counting only the men and
women and omitting the children, amounts, according to the native reports, to
seven hundred thousand." George Rawlinson, Book II.2
|
| Month:Payni |
Netjer (Ruler) of the Month: Heru (Horus) |
| Egyptian Calendar |
Gregorian Calendar |
Festival/Celebration |
| 1 |
April 15 |
Month of Payni Begins; Festival of Heru; Festival of Bast |
| 2 |
April 16 |
Holiday of Re and his Shemsu (followers) |
| 7 |
April 21 |
Feast of Wadjet (Udjet or Buto) |
| 13 |
April 27 |
The Ennead sail throughout the land |
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is for Humanities
In the night sky: Venus shines brightly in the west,
and Saturn is high in the south. The carnivores -- the Bear, the Lion and the Sea
Serpent -- can be observed stalking upwards in the eastern sky. 
