Beautiful Egypt 301 – “From Scetis to El-Bahnasa” – 19/6/2019

In the previous article we talked about the escape of the Holy Family from Musturd to the area of Marriott as there was no known or paved road at that time that passed through the desert to go to Natroun valley unless through passing by the area of Marriott.

Natroun valley

The Holy Family passed by Natroun valley (Scetis), as they passed by Al-Hamra sweet springwhich baby Jesus sprang and it was called Beaar Mariam, which also lies between the lakes that were filled with the salt of Natroun. That valley was a barren desert at that time. Nevertheless Jesus blessed it and predicted that the valley would be filled with monks and hermits who would worship God. Moreover it would be blessed so all people would come to from different places to be blessed. Also it would be named the wilderness of Shehit which meant the balance of hearts.

El-Matareya and Ain-Shams

El-Matareya was considered one of the most important areas that the Holy Family passed by. Whereas they sat under the shade of a sycamore tree known as the Mariam tree (Tree of the Virgin). Jesus emanated a spring of water in which Virgin Mary washed His clothes then she poured the water on the ground. Moreover in that very place an Elderberry plant grew instead. Also there was a church under the name of Virgin Mary in that area just a few meters away from the Tree of the Virgin.

When the Holy Family entered the city of Ain-Shams which the Greeks previously named Heliopolis, the pagans and the statues fell and were destroyed.

Zeitoun

The Holy Family passed by both Zeitoun and Down Town areas during their Journey to old Cairo. Now in Zeitoun there is a famous church of St. Virgin Mary which witnessed the apparition of Virgin Mary herself on its domes on 2/4/1968. In addition to that the area of Down Town was blessed by the Holy Family passing by. Furthermore some historians mentioned that there was a water spring that the Holy Family drank from in Haret Elroum. Then the Holy Family passed by the area of Azabawiya. At the start there were fields and a spring of water there, but now the church of Virgin Mary exists at Azabawiya.

Old Cairo

It was a part of Delta also known as Babylon where a huge number of Jewish communities lived there. When the Holy Family reached there, they stayed in a cave under the church of St. Sergius and St. Bacchus,which is famous for Abu Serga church or the cave church.

However the Holy Family could not stay for a long time at that area as a result of the destruction of all pagan statues there which made the governor of Fustat very furious that he wanted to kill Jesus Christ.

Maadi

It was the way towards Upper Egypt so the Holy Family went directly to that direction. From there they took a boat to the south and now in that particular location there is a famous church known as the church of Virgin Mary also known as the church of St. Mary of Adaweya within there was an ancient ladder that lies directly on the Nile River. On Friday March 12th 1976 a huge copy of the Holy Bible was found floating on the surface of the Nile and its pages were opened on the verse: “Blessed is Egypt My people”.

Till this very day that copy is preserved in a glass box near the western door of the church.

El-Bahnasa

The Holy Family passed by an area named the house of Jesus at the east side of El-Bahnasa, nowadays the village of Sandafa in Bani Mazar. El-Bahnasa, the Holy Family passed by, lies on the west side of the Nile River. Moreover during the Greek Era it was known as the city of Qannuma with reference to a kind of pointed fish that lived in the water near it, which villagers also considered to be evidence on goodness and bless. Later on they considered the fish with the cross as a symbol to the city. On the other hand the city had numerous churches in addition to a huge number of monks’ gatherings.

Palladius the historian mentioned: “Oxerenhos (El-Bahnasa) was the city that its churches were more than its houses!” 

A reference to an ancient tree that had strong link with the Holy Family was pointed out…To make a long story short; Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!

General Bishop,

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center