Unut Anpu – Pgs. 119 -129 Reply to Post 22458
Outline of the Basic Designations of Priests and Priestesses of Ancient Kmt
Udja,
The development of the priesthood entailed many changes and additions over the long history of the culture. Also, there were several local titles and assignments for the clergy. There are two main phases of the Kamitan clergy. The first phase is from the Predynastic era to the end of the Middle Kingdom and the other is from the New Kingdom to the Roman era when all of the Temples in Egypt were closed.
Designations
*The priests and priestesses served the Het-Ntr or house of God aka the Temple.
*Ranks of the clergy were referred to as Sau which means protectors.
*Sau were supervised by the overseer Priest.
*Full time priests were assisted by Unut Ntr Het or part time priests of the House of God.
*Kheri Heb priests & priestesses were in charge of the arrangements of the ceremonies and festivals and responible for readings being done in the proper order & with the proper offerings. They also read from the holy books.
*Sesh Ntr and those with this designation were in charge of codification work in the temple. This included transcribing works from earlier periods becoming illegible due to deterioration of papyri and included writing the Prt M Hru texts.
*The general term for priests and priestesses is Hm which means “majesty” or “magnificence” or “splendor” and also means servant or slave.
*Hm Ntr is a male servant or prophet of God, a Priest.
*Hmt Ntr is a female servant or prophet of God, a Priestess.
*The Hmu Ntr are full time priests and priestesses and considered to be prophets or seers.
*Hm or Hmu are general terms referring to the clergy. It should be noted that gender equality as reflected in the practice of the religion in Kmt was unparalleled in the ancient world and also the present day one. Examples of this include but are not limited to the following: Certain elevated ranks of priestesses had a special function known as Hemut Neter-High Priestess-wife of the God. Additionally, the presence of female musicians and singers in various temples was consistent and extensive and women were integral parts of temple ceremonies and rituals. Thus, it should be noted that the balance between the genders even in the service of the Divine was/is a hallmark of Kamitan spirituality.
Additional Priestly Designations
*The Hm Ka is in charge of the funerary rights.
*The Hm Ntr Tpy was an overseer priest or priestess for the lower order of the clergy.
*Uab is the designation for priests and priestesses in charge of all purifications in the Temple.
*The Ntr Duat Uabu make adorations in the Temple.
*The SM clergy members wear leopard skins and side locks and perform libations, and perform rituals such as offering incense and presiding over the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony.
*The Urshy watches over the Divine Image and those who meditate upon it.
*Another class of the clergy are the Dua Neter-Divine Adorers who specialize in adorations of the Divine through praises, hymns and ritual genuflections with incense and other artifacts.
*The Sbai or Spiritual Preceptor is the highest disseminator of the Mystery Teachings who leads the Sbat or student to Nehast by means of the Seba Ur or highest enlightening teaching.
Htp
Dua Sebai Maa,
Dua Seba Dja,
Dua Hmu.
