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The Holy Family in Egypt
Egypt in the Holy Bible
The Holy Bible concentrates on
"Jerusalem" which means, "land of
peace," or "vision of peace" as
center of the promised land,
where God declares His dwelling
among people. And a holy temple
was established in it in His
Name, where people worshipped
Him, offered Him sacrifices and
offerings, and celebrated many
feasts as a symbol of the
heavenly joy. This is Jerusalem,
the symbol of heaven, that is
called "Jerusalem above is free,
which is the mother of us all"
(Gal 4:26). On the other hand, we
find Babel and Egypt; Babel
represents disobedience to God,
violence, vainglory (tower of
Babel, Gen.11), opposing God
through His believers (the
Babylonian captivity), adultery
and abominations (Rev. 17:5).
Egypt was well known for its
abundant cops, and its king
(Pharaoh) to whom Israel and Jude
used to refuge against Babylon.
Therefore, Egypt was a symbol of
loving the temporary things and
trust in human hands (1 Kings
18:21).
Egypt was a refuge to many
people, especially in famines.
Abraham visited Egypt (Gen.
12:10). So did Joseph who became
the second man after Pharaoh,
offering crops to all the
neighboring countries. Jacob and
his sons came to Egypt where they
lived as a family and grew as a
nation. It was the birth –place
of the nursery of the people of
God. Their first leader, Moses,
the great prophet and his brother
Aaron the first chief-priest
appeared in Egypt to grant them
freedom. St. Stephen says, "And
Moses was taught in all the
wisdom of the Egyptians, and was
mighty in words and in deeds"
(Acts 7:22).
Among the prophets who visited
Egypt was Jeremiah who implored
people not to flee to Egypt, but
in vain, for they forced him to
accompany them in their journey
to Egypt (Jer. 41:1, 43:7). He
uttered his last prophesies in
Tahpanhes of Egypt (Jer.
43:8-44:30).
Thus, Egypt became a
representative of the Gentiles to
whom Christ came to establish His
Church and form His new people.
Blessed Be Egypt, My People
Hosea, the Prophet, foresaw the
Son of God going out of Bethlehem
and fleeing to Egypt, where He
found a welcome in the hearts of
the Gentiles. Through Hosea, God
the Father uttered this prophesy,
"I called my son out of Egypt" (Hos.
11:1).
Isaiah the Prophet gave us more
details, saying "Behold, the
burden of Egypt, the Lord rides
upon a swift cloud, He shall come
to Egypt, and the idols of Egypt
shall be moved at His presence.
In that day there shall be an
altar to the lord in the midst of
the land of Egypt" (Isa. 19:1).
St. Cyril the Great interpreted
this prophecy saying:
"The glittering cloud which
carried the child Jesus to Egypt
was His mother, St. Mary, who
suppressed the cloud in purity.
The altar which was established
in the midst of the land of Egypt
is the Christian church which had
replaced the temples of paganism
as the idols collapsed and the
temples were deserted in the
presence of the Lord Jesus."
The Holy Journey
The important stations where the
holy family took shelter are:
-
Bubastis Hill
The holy family left Bethlehem on
its way to Egypt through Sinai.
They followed the Southern
Caravan way along the
Mediterranean coast, passing
through Gaza-Raphia (Rafah)-Rhinocolura,
(now El-Arish), and then to
Ostrakini which became a diocese
of Bishop Abram who joined the
council of Ephesus 431 A.D.
The last station for the Holy
family in Sinai was Pelusium (now
Al-Farma) which is located
between El-Arish and Port-Said
and which is considered the key
entrance to Egypt from the
eastern side.
From Pelusium they crossed to
Bubastis (Tel-Basta), where they
rested under a tree, that is said
to have survived until 1850 A.D.
Here, at Bubastis Hill, a spring
of water erupted, from which the
holy family used to drink; and
its water healed many from their
sickness.
oon after the Holy Family
resided in the city, the pagan
statues began to collapse and
this consequently aroused the
anger of the pagan priests
against the Holy Family.
Therefore, the Holy Family left
to the outskirts of the city to a
place now called "Mastard."
-
Mataryah
The Holy Family traveled to
Bilbais, then to Miniat-Genah
(now Miniat Samanoud), crossing
the River Nile to Samanoud and
from there to Borolos. They
crossed the River Nile to the
Western bank to Sakha, and then
they traveled westward along
Wadi-el-Natroun (Natroun Valley),
south of the "Sheheet" widerness.
This wilderness became a paradise
of monks, the earthly angels.
The Holy Family then traveled to
Heliopolis, to a district called
"Mataryah," where they took
shelter under a tree, known as
the "St. Virgin Mary Tree." The
Coptic Orthodox Church is taking
care of this tree which is still
blossoming despite its old age.
Near this tree is a spring of
water shot and balsam plants are
still growing. These plants are
added to the ointments used to
make the Holy Chrism (Oil for
confirmation).
Pilgrims in the middle ages
used to visit "Mataryah" and "St.
Mary's Tree" regarding them as
sacred places. Until today
tourists come to visit them.
-
Old
Cairo
Old Cairo is considered the third
station for the Family. Here we
have St. Virgin Mary's Church and
a nunnery which are both located
at Zwayla lane. But the most
attractive landmark is the cave
in Babylon in Old Cairo in which
there is an altar and a niche. It
is probable that the Holy family
might have used this cave as a
place for the Child Jesus to
sleep. Above this cave, a church
had been built in the fourth
Century and is known as the St.
Sergius Church (Abu-Sarga).
Within a week, the idols of
the pagan temples began to
collapse, the pagan priests
aroused with anger, forced the
foreign family out of the city.
Thus, the holy family left for
Memphis then to Maadi where St.
Mary's Church has been built.
Perhaps, this church was a Jewish
Temple. The present structure
with its attractive triple
granary domes is known from the
thirteenth century.
-
In
Upper-Egypt
The Holy family crossed the River
Nile to Upper Egypt and headed
east to Bahnassa (near Beni-Mazar),
they then crossed to the eastern
bank, where they stopped at
Gabal-el-Tair (Mount of Birds)
near Samalout.
From Gabal-el-Tair, the Holy
Family went to Ashmounin near
Malawi, then to a village called
Philes, about 20 km south of
Ashmounin. They traveled to
Qoussieh (Qousqam) where they
were treated harshly and were
driven away by the very people
who saw that their stone idols
had fell before Jesus. The Holy
Family escaped to the village
Mirah (now Mir), whence they took
to the Qousqam Mountain on which
the famous Monastery of the Holy
Virgin, known as "Al-Muharraq"
stands. There, at that mountain
it had been revealed to them by
Spirit to return back to
Jerusalem. They followed a way
that took them to the South up to
Assyout Mountain where they took
shelter for a while in a cave
known now as St. Virgin Monastery
at Assiout.
St. Virgin Mary's Church at
Zaytoun
The Holy Family might have passed
through Zaytoun, a suburb of
Cairo. On the domes of St. Mary's
church at Zaytoun, a good number
of St. Mary's apparitions
occurred (from the 2nd of April
1968 until 1971). Such wonderful
apparitions occurred successively
and were obviously seen by
thousands of people.
St. Virgin Mary's Closet At El-Ezrawia
It is said that the Holy Family
passed by a watermelon farm where
seeds had just been sown. St.
Joseph asked the farmer to tell
the soldiers, who were chasing
them, that the Holy Family passed
by his farm at the time when he
was sowing his seeds. Two days
later, when the soldiers arrived
at the farm, the watermelon had
blossomed and some fruits were
visible. This made the soldiers
believe that the Holy Family had
passed by this place several
months before. Therefore the
soldiers slowed down the chase
after the Holy Family.
Palm (El-Kaf) Mountain
It is said that while the Holy
Family was crossing the Nile to
Gabal-el-Tair a huge rock from
the Mountain was about to fall on
their boat. St. Mary was afraid
but her Son – who has power on
nature – stretched His hand thus
prevented the rock from falling,
and left his palm print on it.
Queen Helen, mother of Emperor
Constantine, ordered that a
church should be build at this
place. In the twelfth century
(1168 A.D.), when Almeric, King
of Jerusalem invaded Upper-Egypt,
he cut away the piece of the rock
and took it back to Syria.
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