Sun rays illuminate face of Ramses II in Aswan Friday for 20 minutes

CAIRO, Feb 20 (MENA) - Sun rays will illuminate the face of Ramses II statue in its sanctuary in the Abu Simple temple in south Aswan on Friday for 20 minutes in a rare phenomenon that takes place twice a year.

For most of the year, the inner sanctum of the main temple at Abu Simbel is shrouded in darkness.

The phenomenon will start at 6:23 am and continue for nearly 20 to 25 minutes.

On February 22, a day celebrating the king's birthday and again on October 22, a day celebrating his coronation, sunlight illuminates seated statues of the sun gods Re-Horakhte and Amon-Re, as well as the statue of king Ramses II.

The statues sit in the company of the Theban god of darkness, Ptah (who remains in the shadows all year).