I congratulate you all on the anniversary of the “Flight of the Holy Family” to the land of Egypt, on the 24th of Bashans (June 1st), which we celebrated a few days ago. The flight of the Lord Jesus as a little child, accompanied by his holy mother, Saint Mary the Virgin, and the righteous Saint Joseph the Carpenter, was a special blessing for our country, about which Prophet Isaiah prophesied: ““Blessed is Egypt My people” A number of Old Testament prophets spoke about the “Flight of the Holy Family” to the land of Egypt, including Prophet Isaiah, who said: “Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, And will come into Egypt; The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.” And Prophet Hosea: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
The “Flight of the Holy Family” to Egypt came by divine command. An angel appeared to Joseph the Carpenter in a dream, saying: “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and be there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” So he arose, took the young Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt. Thus began the journey of escape by night on a difficult road filled with many dangers: wild beasts, robbers and highwaymen, scorching sun, bitter cold, in addition to the danger of lack of food and water. Furthermore, King Herod sent his spies to search for the Child and bring Him alive so he could kill Him himself, which made the Holy Family take unfamiliar routes at the time, traversing Egypt north, south, east, and west, fleeing from the king’s spies.
The escape began from Bethlehem in Palestine, with Al-Farama being the Holy Family’s entry point into Egypt. They then moved towards the eastern Delta, stopping in Tell Basta near the city of Zagazig in the Sharqia Governorate, and from there to the city of Mostorod, where the Holy Family resided in a cave.
After that, the Holy Family moved to the city of Samannoud, which is considered the first place that received the Holy Family with a grand welcome, and its people received a special blessing. Then the Holy Family moved to the city of Sakha, where the footprints of Child Jesus were imprinted on the base of a pillar after the Virgin Mary placed Him on it. His feet sank into it, and their prints were left on it. The stone was hidden for a long time for fear of theft until it was discovered on September 27, 1984.
From the city of Sakha to Lake Mariout and from there to Abu Mena Heritage Site. Then the Holy Family crossed the Natrun Valletarea, known as “BarriyetSheheet,” which means “Balance of Hearts.” This valley was a barren desert at the time, but Lord Jesus blessed it and prophesied that it would be filled with worshippers of God, including monks, ascetics, and hermits, and it would be blessed, with people coming to it for blessings. This wilderness has been populated with monasteries to this day. The Holy Family then reached Matariya and Ain Shams, then Maadi, passing through the areas of Zeitoun and Old Cairo, then Al-Bahnasa, then Samalut, and from there to Gabal El-Teir, then Ashmounein.
The Holy Family continued their journey until they reached Deirout Om Nakhla, in the south, and from there to GabalQusqam, where the Monastery of Al-Muharraq is located. The Holy Family stayed in one of its caves for six months and ten days until heaven announced again the return of the Holy Family to the land of Palestine after Herod’s death: “Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.”Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel”
On the way back, the Holy Family took another route, heading south to the western Assiutmountain, where the village of Durunka is located, and from there to Old Cairo, then Matariya, to Mostourod, and from there to Sinai and then Palestine, where they returned to the village of Nazareth in Galilee.
There have been differing opinions on the duration the Holy Family spent in Egypt. However, in 1998, the University of Cologne in Germany published an ancient papyrus, written in the Fayyumic Coptic dialect, indicating that the Holy Family’s stay in Egypt lasted three years and eleven months.Many happy returns. We supplicate to God to protect Egypt, our country and keep it safe, peaceful, blessed…for Egypt is the second homeland for Jesus Christ who granted it abundant and unique gifts. And stories of Beautiful Egypt will never end….
The General Bishop
President of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
