Ra the ancient Egyptian sun god

The chief cult centre of Ra was Heliopolis (called Iunu, "Place of Pillars", in Egyptian), where he was identified with the local sun-god Atum.

Through Atum, or as Atum-Ra he was also seen as the first being and the originator of the Ennead

To the Egyptians, the sun represented light, warmth, and growth. This made the sun deity very important and the sun was seen as the ruler of all that he created. The sun disk was either seen as the body or eye of Ra.

Ra was thought to travel on two solar boats called the Mandjet (the Boat of Millions of Years), or morning boat and the Mesektet, or evening boat. These boats took him on his journey through the sky and the underworld. When Ra traveled in his sun boat he was accompanied by various other deities including Sia (perception) and Hu (command) as well as Heka (magic power). Sometimes members of the Ennead helped him on his journey.

Ra, Lord of Creation
Ra is represented in a variety of forms. The most usual form was a man with the head of a hawk and a solar disk on top, a man with the head of a beetle (in his form as Khepri), a man with the head of a ram, a ram or beetle and also a phoenix, heron, serpent, bull, cat, lion and other creatures

The Holiday of 'The Receiving of Ra' is celebrated on May 26 in the Gregorian calendar