Kings and commoners from across Egypt built chapels, which served as cenotaphs, near the processional route.
Frequently used as the palace ballrooms, they formed a processional route, and were the focus of the imperial court.
Thousands of people lined the processional route and were able to file through the Abbey after the service.
The processional route to the bell is under an unusual and fragrant arcade.
Costumes can also be rented at some places along the processional route.
At 6.00 am, roads in and around the processional route were closed to traffic.
They do not droop, as flags do along processional routes on windless days.
Contemporary internal features are rare and it has been traditionally thought that the cursuses were used as processional routes.
As a penance, participants carry 'kavadis' along a processional route.
Soon it was apparent that a processional route was being followed.