Thursday of the Dead
| Thursday of the Dead | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | Arab Christians and Muslims in the Levant |
| Type | Popular feast day for women |
| Significance | Honours the souls of the dead |
| Celebrations | Festive family meals and the giving of food, coloured eggs and sweets to the poor, relatives and children |
| Observances | Prayer, visiting cemeteries |
| Date | On a Thursday that falls between the Easter Sundays of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Easter, particularly Holy Thursday; possible relation to springtime Nebi Musa festival |
Thursday of the Dead (Arabic: خميس الأموات, Khamis al-Amwat), also known as Thursday of the Secrets (Arabic: خميس الأسرار, Khamis al-Asrar) or Thursday of the Eggs, is a feast day shared by Christians and Muslims in the Levant. It falls sometime between the Easter Sundays of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian traditions. It is a day on which the souls of the dead are honoured. A popular day among women in the region, it underscores the shared culture between Arab Christians and Muslims.