Hail to You, O Great Ones, according to Their names, children of the goddess Who have come forth from the sacred womb. Gods because of Their Father, Goddesses because of Their Mother, without knowing the necropolis. Behold! May You protect me and save me. May You make me prosperous, may You make my protection, may You repeat it and may You protect me. I am the one Who is on their list.
(From the Cairo Calendar incantation to be said just before sunrise on Wep Ronpet)
Di wep ronpet nofret (Happy new year (lit., "may you be given a beautiful new year"))
Last year I posted a link to a Coptic song about the new year, here it is again!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9R0dkLEj4
With today's sunrise, Sopdet (the binary star system we call Sirius today) is visible again after its 70-day absence, and Wep Ronpet "opening the year" ceremonies are held. In ancient Egypt, icons of each temple's deities were taken outdoors to "kiss Ra," at the first sunrise, and then processed back inside for days of feasts and rejoicing.
The ancient Egyptian New Year, also the first day of the season of Akhet or Inundation, is still observed by the Coptic Orthodox Church in their liturgical calendar. Coptic churches and cultural centers inside and outside Egypt hold festivals on I Akhet 1 just as their ancestors did, although Coptic Wep Ronpet currently falls on Gregorian September 11 due to shifts between calendars over the millennia. (See above for a Coptic song about this holiday!)
For the Kemetic Orthodox, a group of contemporary people who worship the Netjeru now, today also marks the beginning of Year 31, which is dedicated to the god Nefertem. His contemporary image, created by artist and devotee Megan Zane, is our post's image today. May the son of Ptah and Sekhmet, beautiful and complete, bring you every blessing.
Spend today and any of the next few days dancing, feasting, singing, and celebrating the renewal of life and time, the birthday of the sun.
Di wep ronpet nofret! Blessings of all the deities on you and all you love, today and every day, a million times!
A new year also means a new Daybook Perpetual Planner - they're available!
Check out the ancient Egyptian calendar calculator and mobile app at Ronpet!
