Sham el-Nessim is an Egyptian national holiday that marks the beginning of spring.
Coinciding with Easter Monday in the Eastern Christianity, following the custom of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
The day is believed to have originated in Ancient Egypt.
The festival gradually morphed into its modern form.
The name of the festival was replaced by an Arabic phono-semantic match Sham el-Nessim, which means “the smelling of the Zephyrus” (west wind).
Sham el-Nessim is not considered a religious festival and is celebrated by both Christians and Muslims throughout the country.
