| After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared
to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child
and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until
i tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child
in order to murder him “ so he got up at night ,took
the child and his mother and departed into Egypt , where
they remained until Herod’s death , so that the lord’s
word through the prophet became fulfilled {out of Egypt
I called my son}, From the New testament in Mathew 2:13-15
Egypt is not only an important tourist
destination for Jews and Christians. To Christians , Egypt’s
religious importance goes beyond Mount Sinai and its Coptic
Churches and monasteries. More importantly, the Holy Family
spent several years in Egypt. The trek of the holy Family is
well documented . In many sites monasteries, churches , and
places of worship have been built .
Historical sources mention the Holy family’s
trek to Egypt through the desert of Sinai from El Farama
located in nearby El Belyezboum, now between El Arish and Port
Said. Then reached the town of Basta which is known today as
Tall-Basta near the city of Zagazig , where they spent some
time.
The Holy Family then lived in nearby suburb of
Cairo now called Moustorod. There Jesus caused a spring to
flow, which the Holy Family used, and where a church now
stands. It was built in 1185 and was later renamed the Church
of the Virgin Mary . The well still exists inside the
Church. From Moustorod, the Holy Family went to Belbeis,
Meneyat Genah, sammoud, El Burulus, Shagarett El Teen, El
Matlaa, and Sakha, a village in Kafr El Shiekh.
There,tradition has it that the Child Jesus Heel from Sakha,
the Holy Family went west-ward, parallel to Wadi Natrun, which
is noe the Desert Road, where a number of monasteries were
later built. Then they headed to Ein Shams known now as
El-Mataria, where sat under a tree known today as the Virgin
Tree. As the Holy Family was forced to search for a calm spot
to rest, they came upon an old branchy sycamore tree which
provided them shade from the heat of the sun. According to
ancient traditions, pilgrims regarded the visit to El-Mataria
as essential.
During the early period of Christianity, the
Copts established a big Cathedral in the area, where the
arrival of the Holy Family was celebrated annually. The Holy
Family then headed southward to Babylon in Old Cairo where
they stayed for some time in the cave which is now part of St.
Sergius Church. They had to leave the place to move further
south to Upper Egypt.
The Holy Family set out for Upper Egypt starting
from the present Church of the Holy Virgin in maadi. They
proceeded to Gebel El Teir near Samalout, later known as Palm
Mountain. Then to Mallawi then they left for a village called
Phyllopos, now known as Dayrut. They heade for the village of
Mirah, then on the Qousqam Mountain. The famous Monastery of
the Holy Virgin, now known as Al Moharrraq, is situated there.
The Holy Family stayed for some months before returning to
Palestine.
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