Holy Family
in Egypt
Holy Family
in Egypt / Map of Jesus Travels.
The coming
of Christ and the Holy Family to Egypt is one of the most important events that
took place in the Land of Egypt in it’s Long History. The entry of the Lord
Jesus Christ into the Land of Egypt was seen as a Great Blessing for the Land
and it’s People, so because of this the Lord said Blessed is My People of
Egypt, and there will be an Altar to the Lord in the Middle of the Land of
Egypt and a Pillar to The Lord at it’s Border, so this will be a Sign and
Testimony to the Lord of Hosts in the Land of Egypt. In respect of the Altar in
the Middle of the Land of Egypt , it is the archeological Church of The Virgin
Mary in the Al – Muharraq Monastery , where The Holy Family stayed for more
than Six Months, the surface of the Altar is The Stone on which The Saviour
Child Slept.
In respect
of the Pillar at it’s Border it is the Chair of St. Mark the Apostle. The Holy
Family marched from Bethlehem to Gaza, West of Al – Arish a distance of thirty
seven kilometers, and entered the Road to the Sinai Desert from the Northern
side of the Farma Side. There are also many other Areas, such as The Abu Serga
Church which is situated in Cairo, where there is a Cave in which The Holy
Family Hid.
It is
believed that The Holy Family is said to have fled to Egypt where King Herod
could not relay any any political powers which would mean he could not harm The
Baby Jesus. Upon entering Egypt the Holy Family moved to different Locations
numerious times, so they could avoid the reach of Herod’s Spies. Apparantley
there is a total of twenty six Locations throughout the Country where it is
believed The Holy Family passed through or sought Refuge during their three and
a half Years in Hiding. Eventually they were able to return in safety to
Palastine after the Death of King Herod.
The journey
of The Holy Family in Egypt is of Great Importance to The Coptic Church, and is
a very common practice for Church Groups or exclusive Travel Agencies to
arrange Tours which followed the exact Path thet The Holy Family is believed to
have taken.
The first of
the Main Cities that The Holy Family stopped in after entering Egypt from
Bethlehem was Farma, or also known as Ancient Pelusium, which is on the Eastern
most Mouth of The River Nile. Visitors very rarely go to this once thriving Old
Port City in the Sinai Peninsula in the Present Day. However it is still host
to a number of archeological excavations, one of which discovered and began
restoring a First Century Church which was built after the introduction of
Christianity to Egypt by St. Mark. After visiting Farma, those following the
Path of The Holy Family then journeyd to Mostorod, which is North of Cairo.
Here there are the remains of a Church and a Cave being refurbished which are
apparantley where The Holy Family stayed during their time there. In Tel Basta
which is a small Town near Mostorod , there is also a Spring which was
supposedly to have sprang from the Earth upon the arrival of The Holy Family.
The third
main stop was in Sakha, also known as Pekha – Issous, or the Foot Of Jesus.
This name is inspired by a Rock with an Imprint of Baby Jesus Foot upon it,
which has been preserved and kept in Sakha over the Years,
Wadi El
Natroun was the next Main stopover, including Four Ancient Monasteries, of
which there were previously Fifty in the Area.It is a common Place for
Religious Visitors and Tourists alike to visit due to the very well preserved
Coptic Art in the Monasteries.
Closer to
Cairo is the fifth main stopping point, which are in the neighbouring Districts
of Ain Shams and Matariya . The famous Sycamore which is known as The Virgin
Mary’s Tree is situated there, and is also said to have provided Shade for The
Holy Family, however there is also a Balsam Tree that apparantley grew from the spot where Mary threw out some
Water that she had used to clean Jesus with, and there is also many strange
names engraved on The Tree.
Next on the
Agenda is Old Cairo formerly known as Babylon, where The Holy Family took
refuge in a Cave after inciting the temper of the Governor of Babylon. The
Church of Abu Sirga was constructed on top of the Site some time later and is a
major Pilgrimage Site for many Egyptians.
After
running from Babylon, The Holy Family then journeyed to Maadi, which was
another major point along their Path. Once there they boarded a Sailboat that
took them up the River to Southern Egypt. The Virgin Mary Church now occupies
the Docking Point in Maadi where The Family were said to have departed from.
The very same Steps which The Holy Family used to reach the Water are still
present on the Grounds.
A prominent
event occurred on March in 1976, when a Holy Bible of unknown Origin was washed
up on the Banks of The River Nile, directly below The Virgin Mary Church.
Apparantley it was opened at the Page of Isaiah 19.25 which declares, Blessed
be Egypt My People, The Bible is now on display in The Church.
The Sailboat
which ferried The Holy Family from Maadi arrived in the Village of Deir El
Garnous, however they again only stayed for a short timewhile before journeying
to Gabal Al – Teir. There The Holy Family sought refuge from the Weather in a
Shaded Cave, where the Ancient Monastery of The Virgin Mary was constructed.
They also passed a Laurel Tree, near Gabal El Teir , and apparantley it is
believed that The Tree Bowed to Jesus Christ as He was passing. The Laurel Tree
is still standing there and it’s Form is totally unique, all of the Branches
are downwards , and is commonly reffered to as El Abed or The Worshipper.
The Holy
Family continued to journey South, apparently not staying for long in any
Village or Tow where they stopped to Rest in. The next Main Point also being
the one where The Holy Family was believed to have stayed for six Months, is
Gebel Qussqom, here Visitors can still view El Moharraq Monastery, which is
where The Holy Family stayed for the six Months after the Death of King Herod,
and Angel appeard to The Holy Family and informed them that it would be safe
for them to return Home, however they did make one final stop in Assuit before
retracing their Path back to Palestine, and it is here where the Final Stop of
The Holy Trail is situated.
Eight
Kilometers South of the centre of
Assiut you will find Mount Dronka, which
is where The Holy Family stopped to regain their Strength in another Cave, a
Monastery was later constructed.
Vast efforts
in recent Years have been made to restore and preserve many of the important
Sites along The Holy Trail, NGO’s such as the St. Mark Foundation, in
cooperation with the Government Offices , have succeeded in carrying out many
renovations, however there still remains a great deal of work left to be done,
as the number of Sites along the Trail is fairly large. None the less the Trail
which was taken by The Holy Family in Egypt remains a very Popular draw among
the Spiritualists and the Curious Travelers.
You can book
one of our Egypt Tours to learn more about The Ancient Egyptian History.