\nIn Assyrian, Egypt was called Mu-\u1e63ur which means \u201cfortified\u201d as some counted Egypt fortified from all directions due to her position: it is surrounded by the sea from the north, the eastern desert to the east, the western desert to the west, and great rocks to the south which prevent sailing in the Nile. This could be why Egyptians call her \u201cal-mahrussa\u201d (the protected one).<\/span><\/strong>
\nAs for ancient Egyptians, they used to call her Kemi which means the \u201cblack land\u201d due to the fertile soil produced by the Nile. They also called her Tua, that is, the \u201ctwo lands\u201d to indicate Upper and Lower Egypt. In Arabic, Egypt\u2019s name is close to hers in Hebrew, \u201cMizraim\u201d which refers to twoness and is, very likely, to be attributed to Upper and Lower Egypt.<\/span><\/strong>
\nSome believe that Egypt, in foreign languages, derives from the name \u201cHa Ka Petah\u201d (the name of Memphis in Ancient Egyptian language). It means the \u201cabode of Petah\u2019s spirit\u201d. Its Greek origin is Aigyptos from which \u201cAigypte\u201d or \u201cEgypt\u201d derives. This very last is the most common in the world languages. In Arabic, it morphed to \u201cEqept\u201d, then \u201cCopt\u201d. In effect, Egypt and Copt, in modern languages, seem to derive from one source and meaning, that is, the original inhabitants of the Nile Valley.<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe Land of Civilization<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe Ancient Egyptian is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. The presence of the Nile had had a great influence: for it helped Ancient Egyptians to settle down, cultivate the land, and breed cattle thousands of years ago. Ancient Egyptians evolved rapidly to start simple industries, after which small societies formed on the Nile banks, which led to societal development. Commercial exchange between these societies started. Thus, Egypt became a commerce pioneer, then started trade with the neighboring countries.<\/span><\/strong>
\nLikewise, Ancient Egyptians were adept at science. They invented hieroglyphics. The population of Tigris and Euphrates imitated them: for they invented the Cuneiform script. This led to the flourishing of commerce between the two societies, which urged human development in general.<\/span><\/strong>
\nInventing hieroglyphics in Egypt pushed life several steps forward. In fact, Ancient Egyptians loved writing. Indeed, the \u201cEgyptian Scribe\u201d is a famous portrait in ancient Egyptian art. Upon tracing ancient Egyptian orthography and reading history, we find that ancient Egyptians wrote about all the aspects of their lives, such as, kings\u2019 accounts, religious beliefs, the sciences they developed: like medicine, geometry, and arithmetic, praise of kings, their wars and conventions with neighboring countries. There are also writings about manners and wisdom, religious manuscripts, and, even more, personal and familial affairs.<\/span><\/strong>
\nIn addition to writing, Egypt offered the world remarkable monuments, like the Pyramids, Sphinx, olden temples and monuments in Memphis, Thebes, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings. Parts of these monuments were taken to great international museums to be displayed. Likewise, they were given a special field of study called Egyptology.<\/span><\/strong>
\nEgypt\u2019s Stature in Religions<\/span><\/strong>
\nEgypt has always been the land of beauty: for God granted her a rare, natural beauty. Egypt is said to be one of the most beautiful countries of the world. Even more, she is likened to \u201cthe garden of the Lord\u201d. When Lot wanted to choose a place for residence after his separation from Abraham for the land could not support them, Lot chose Sodom and Gomorrah due to their beauty. We read, \u201cLot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.\u201d <\/span><\/strong>
\nLikewise, Egypt is the land of abundance: which is why she was great emperors dream. In fact, ancient Greeks dreamt of dominating Egypt, which was realized by Alexander the Great. In Genesis, we read that when Jacob and his sons came to Egypt, Joseph told them, \u201cand bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.\u201d When earth was suffering from a great famine, Egypt was the resort and savior, \u201cAnd all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
\nEgypt: the Land of Wisdom<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe whole world has known Egypt to be the land of wisdom. We read, \u201cMoses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.\u201d When the Bible described Solomon\u2019s wisdom, it said, \u201cSolomon\u2019s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
\nEgypt: the Land Whence God Blessed His People<\/span><\/strong>
\nWe read in the Bible that God has blessed His people in Egypt: \u201cThe Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, \u201cBlessed be Egypt my people\u2026\u201d In the Quran, we read in the Chapter of Joseph (Surat Ysusf), verse 99, \u201cWhen they entered to Joseph, he took his parents to his bosom and said, \u2018Enter Egypt, God willing, safe and secure.\u201d In Prophet Muhammad\u2019s sayings, (Hadith), we read, \u201cShould God ever bless you by conquering Egypt, mobilize a great army from her children: for they will be on quite good terms till doomsday.\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
\nEgypt and God\u2019s Men<\/span><\/strong>
\nAlso, Egypt was the refuge of many a holy man, and a place which God sent them to find protection. There, they found safety. God\u2019s friend, Abraham, sought refuge in Egypt when the earth suffered from starvation. We read, \u201cNow there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
\nLikewise, righteous Joseph was sold to an Egyptian. God allowed this to save Egypt and the world from a great famine that was to alight on the earth. We read, \u201cNow Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh\u2019s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.\u201d Thus, Egypt was not a refuge for Joseph. Rather, he was sent there for a mission he had to accomplish. At that time, the Pharaoh saw God\u2019s wisdom in him. So, he appointed him steward of the land: \u201cSo Pharaoh said to Joseph, \u201cI hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
\nAlso, Jacob came over with his sons to live in Egypt with Joseph who was then the Pharaoh\u2019s \u201csecond-in-command\u201d and, told him, \u201cbut without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.\u201d Jacob and his sons, \u201cSo Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan.\u201d Jacob lived for seventeen years in Egypt, but Joseph remained there until his death. Another man of God who was born and lived in Egypt, and educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians was Prophet Moses. He lived in the Pharaoh\u2019s palace for forty years as his daughter\u2019s son. He was the one who led God\u2019s people to the land of Canaan, crossing with them the Red Sea. As for wise Solomon, he did not live in Egypt. Yet, he married the Pharaoh\u2019s daughter: \u201cSolomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/strong>
\nYet, the most important incident which the Coptic Church celebrates and fills her books in full details and commentary and has become a tradition in her icons is the visit of Christ, St. Mary and St. Joseph to Egypt. They moved amidst her, and dwelt in many of her cities. The story starts in St. Matthew\u2019s Gospel. We read that when Herod insisted on killing baby Jesus, St. Joseph saw a vision to take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt: \u201can angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. \u201cGet up,\u201d he said, \u201ctake the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.\u201d He was told to stay there until he was told to return. So, \u201cSo he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt\u2026\u201d They stayed there until Herod\u2019s death, only to fulfill Hosea\u2019s prophecy, \u201c\u2026 from Egypt I called My son\u201d According to the tradition, when Christ entered Egypt, its idols shook. They would break at His passing by. Palladius, a historian and fourth-century bishop, writes that he himself went to Ashmunin, Upper Egypt, and saw a temple there where all the idols had been smashed upon Christ\u2019s entrance.<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe Church dedicates Pashans 24, coinciding with June 1, every year, a celebration and route for this occasion and visit called, \u201cThe Holy Family\u2019s Journey in Egypt\u201d. This route has become an international touristic attraction for whoever seeks its blessing. <\/span><\/strong>
\nThus, Egypt has a lot about her. She is a landmark in history, civilizations, and religions: being the land of abundance, blessing, love, and peace. That\u2019s why stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
\nGeneral Bishop<\/span><\/strong><\/span> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u0645\u0642\u0627\u0644 ” \u0645\u0635\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u0644\u0648\u0629” (1)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u062c\u0631\u064a\u062f\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0635\u0631\u064a \u0627\u0644\u064a\u0648\u0645 – 12 \u0645\u0627\u064a\u0648 2013<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0646\u0628\u0627 \u0625\u0631\u0645\u064a\u0627- \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0633\u0642\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0645 \u0648\u0631\u0626\u064a\u0633 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0631\u0643\u0632 \u0627\u0644\u062b\u0642\u0627\u0641\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0628\u0637\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0631\u062b\u0648\u0630\u0643\u0633\u064a<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,51],"tags":[127],"class_list":["post-791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31","category-articles","tag-127"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86508,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions\/86508"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nHead of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.almasryalyoum.com\/\/sites\/default\/files\/imagecache\/thumb_115_140\/lnb_rmy.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
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