The Holy Family's Journey in the Land of Egypt

+ In the name of the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit , One God Amen +
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello every body , hope all of u be save in the hands of Lord Jesus Christ .

by the welling of God , on the 1st of June the Coptic orthodox church will celebrate the Holy Family's Journey in the land of Egypt .

So let's celebrate also here for this blessed occasion , any blessed memeber can share us if he / she can .

we will explain places that the Holy Family has visited , and pictures will be attatched .

so let's participate and celebrate from now till the 1st of June .

May God use this topic to Glorify His blessed name from now and forever .


Mention me in pryers .

Comments

  • [glow=red,2,300][center]" BLESSED BE EGYPT MY PEOPLE"
    ( ISAIAH 19:25 )
    [/center]

    [center]image[/center]

    On the 24th day of the Coptic month of Bashans , which corresponds to the 1st June , the Coptic celeprates the entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into the Land of Egypt .
    On that day , the churches throghtout the length and breadth of the land that gave the Holy Family shalter resound with the words of the Doxology : 


      "Rejoice, Oh Egypt; Oh, people of Egypt and all ye Children of Egypt who live within its borders, rejoice and lift up your hearts, for the lover of all manked, He who has been before the beginning of ages, has come to you"



        Let's begin by the map of the Journey :



    [center]image[/center]
    mention me in ur prayers
  • Dear ManKindLoverSon,
    That is very formative and highly educational. God bless your efforts. I would like to know more about the miracles worked by Jesus and through the Virgin Mother of God in each of these places - those of whom know better about that.
    God bless you all and pray for us a lot
  • [quote author=ophadece link=topic=6635.msg88551#msg88551 date=1211831620]
    Dear ManKindLoverSon,
    That is very formative and highly educational. God bless your efforts. I would like to know more about the miracles worked by Jesus and through the Virgin Mother of God in each of these places - those of whom know better about that.
    God bless you all and pray for us a lot




    thanks ophadece for ur words and ur encouragement . as a well of God i will post info, that enhance us with more and more knowledge about the Holy family and its journey , and i will make it simple as i can . my need if for prayers that i am mentioned in it . may any service is to glorify the Name of God Lord Jesus.
  • The Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba,Canada  is putting on a fe3stival on the church property next week end,  the festival is for everybody, more for the Canadians who don't know about Coptic Orthodox and every thing, it should be really cool.
  • [quote author=coptic pharaoh link=topic=6635.msg88563#msg88563 date=1211836678]
    The Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba,Canada   is putting on a fe3stival on the church property next week end,  the festival is for everybody, more for the Canadians who don't know about Coptic Orthodox and every thing, it should be really cool.


    May the sound of coptic orthodox be all over the world , and all people has the ability to receive it.
    thanks Coptic Pharah for ur notification .
  • [center][glow=red,2,300]Stage No." 1 "  [/glow] [/center] 


    [center][glow=red,2,300]The traversing by the Holy Famliy of Sinai Desert on their way to Egypt [/glow] [/center]


    THE HOLY FAMILY AT EL-ZARANIK AND FARAMA :
    According to the sources of the Coptic Church, chief among which is the vision documented by Pope Theophilus,and recorded in the Coptic Senexarium the Holy Family proceeded from Bethlehem to Gaza, and thence to El-Zaraniq (also known as Floussiat), some37 kms west of El-Arish; then they threaded their way along northern Sinai until they reached Farama (ancient Pelusium) mid-way between El-Arish and present-day Port Said .
    It Sinai their last stop in Sinai ; and with the next leg of their journey they put the perils of the wilderness behind them .


    THE HOLY FAMILY AT BASTA TOWN:
    Tel Basta -or Basta- which they now enter, is a short distance from Zagazig the main town in the Sharqiah Governorate -about 100 Kms north-east of Cairo. Here, Jesus Caused a water spring o well up from the ground and his presence caused the idols to crumble, as foretold by the prophets of old. 
    The townsfolk, in consequence, turned malevolent and aggressive, whereupon the Holy Family turned their backs on the town and headed southwards.


    +Pictures :
    ----------



    [center]image[/center]

    [center]Ruins of Flousseya Church - El Zaraniq -
    west of El Arish[/center]



    [center]image[/center]

    [center]Ruins of aniciant monuments - Farama -
    east of Port Said[/center]



    [center]image[/center]

    [center]Ruins of Pharaonic monuments - Tel Basta - Sharqiah[/center]
  • a little off topic but on the same day is the feast of the martyrdom of Saint Bashnouna El-Makari. He was a monk from the monastery of Abba Macarius the great and served as a priest in Cairo. During this time there was fighting between two islamic princes over power and there was lots of persecution againist the Christians from the muslims. St. Bashnouna was set up by two muslims who hated him each of them telling one of the princes that St. Bashnouna was helping out the other prince as a spy. One of the princes got mad and had his servants arrest St. Bashnouna and they burned him alive. The faithful buried his relics in the Church of Abu Serga where the Holy Family stayed for six months (Ironic since he's martyred on the feast), in the place of wax.

    His Prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever,
    Amen.

    PK
  • [quote author=PopeKyrillos link=topic=6635.msg88577#msg88577 date=1211838550]
    a little off topic but on the same day is the feast of the martyrdom of Saint Bashnouna El-Makari. He was a monk from the monastery of Abba Macarius the great and served as a priest in Cairo. During this time there was fighting between two islamic princes over power and there was lots of persecution againist the Christians from the muslims. St. Bashnouna was set up by two muslims who hated him each of them telling one of the princes that St. Bashnouna was helping out the other prince as a spy. One of the princes got mad and had his servants arrest St. Bashnouna and they burned him alive. The faithful buried his relics in the Church of Abu Serga where the Holy Family stayed for six months (Ironic since he's martyred on the feast), in the place of wax.

    His Prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever,
    Amen.

    PK



    thanks so mush PopeKyrillos  , this is a great story i like it too mush and i love this church also . mmmm what a nice thing that u post the blessed story of this Monk , it will be great also if we construct a special topic for this Monk , and all saints . as i remember a nice words of Fr Bishoy Kamel " the closer we r to the saints , the closer we r to the God  .... and consequenses as we r close to God we know more saints and know more about saints " . God be with u , mention me in prayers .
  • [center]image[/center]

    [center]this pic is located in the old churches in cairo , Misr El-Kadema[/center]





    thanks to josephgabriel  & ilovesaintmark  for the reference of the link in the topic of The Most Beautiful Church in the Whole World : http://tasbeha.org/content/community/index.php?topic=6619.0
  • After leaving Tel Basta...

    The Holy Family at the town of Musturud
    The Holy Familly left Tel Basta towards the south, until they reached the town of Musturud which was known as Al-Mahammah (the bathing place) and this town got its name because St. Mary gave Jesus a bath there, and washed his clothes. A church was built there - the Church of St. Mary at Musturud, consecrated in the 12th century. The miracle here is that a spring of water gushed out and continues to spring forth.

    Im having trouble upoloading pictures.... do you insert image, then put in location on your PC?
  • thanks Joe for ur participation , May God bless u . and u really do the same design and the same words from the same site i think :) ..... thx dear for ur  feeort . i will post a link here for anyone who can share us too
    this is a link about stage 1 ... for sharing and make it well designed we each page like which in this link as a stage in our journey . God bless all .

    and according to what u said Joe about picutres .... mmmm i think i didn't get what u mean exactly :) . any how i will post the pictures for the second stage .

    Mention me in prayers
  • + Pictures :

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Virgen Mary Church - Mostorod -
    Kalyoubeia[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Steps of the Crypt - Virgen Mary Church - Mostorod[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]interiors of the Crypt[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]A Well at the Church[/center]



    [center]image[/center]

    [center]image[/center]

    [center]image[/center]

    [center]image[/center]

    [center]Icons at Virgewn Mary Church -
    Mostorod[/center]

  • [center][glow=red,2,300]+ Stage " 3 " + [/glow] [/center]

    [center][glow=red,2,300]The Holy Family at the Town of Belbeis [/glow] [/center]


    [center]image[/center]

    [center]Veil of the Sanctuary -
    Virgen Mary Chruch - Belbeis
    [/center]



        From Mostorod, the Holy Family made their way north-eastwards to Belbeis (ancient Philippos), back in Sharqiah Governorate, and at a distance of about 55 kms from Cairo. They rested there in the shade of a tree which came to be called, ‘The Virgin Mary’s Tree’ .

    +Pictures :



    [center]image[/center]

    [center]Icons at Virgen Mary Church - Belbeis[/center]



    [center]image[/center]

    [center]Interiors of Virgen Mary Chruch - Belbeis[/center]
  • [center][glow=red,2,300]+ Stage " 4 " + [/glow] [/center]

    [center][glow=red,2,300]The Holy Family at Sakha & Samanoud[/glow][/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Veil of the Sanctuary -
    Virgen Mary Chruch - Belbeis
    [/center]


    THE HOLY FAMILY AT MENIET SAMANOUD :

    Having left their mark on Belbeis, the Holy Family set off in a north-westerly direction and, reaching the small township of Meniet Samannoud (knoun also MenietGenah),they crossed the Nile to the city of Samanoud (or Jemnoty) in the Delta, where the local population received them with a kindness and hospitality that earned them deserved blessing. There is in Samannoud,to this day, a large granite trough which, according to local belief, was used by the Virgin for kneading dough, and a water-well which the Christ Child Himself hallowed.


    Again towards the north-west, the Holy Family now travelled until they reached the city of Sakha, in the lake-district of Burullus, in the present-day Governorate of Kafr El-Sheikh.


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Veil of the Sanctuary -
    Virgen Mary Church - Belbeis[/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Al - Shaheed (Martyr) Abanob Church -
    Samanoud - Gharbeiah [/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Christ's footprint on a stone -
    Virgen Mary Church - Sakha - Kafr El Sheikh [/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Interiors of Martyr Abanob Church -
    Samanoud -Gharbeiah[/center]




    THE HOLY FAMILY AT SAKHA TOWN :

    The Coptic name of the town, 'Pekha -Issous', (vernacularized to Lysous) means, 'the foot of Jesus'; for the Holy Child's foot-print was marked, here, in bas-relief on a rock. The rock was preserved, but hidden for centuries for fear of robbery, and only unearthed again 13 years ago.

    The natural course of the Holy family’s journey from Samannoud to Sakha would have taken them through many of the towns and cities now lying in both Governorates of Gharbia and Kafr El-Sheikh and, according to some folk traditions, through the Belqas wastelands as well.


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Boptismal font at Virgen Mary Church - Sakha[/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Veil of the Sanctuary -
    Virgen Mary Church - Sakha [/center]

  • This is awesome Mankindloverson... kamel besora3a  :)

    pray for me

    joe
  • [quote author=josephgabriel link=topic=6635.msg88963#msg88963 date=1212133505]
    This is awesome Mankindloverson... kamel besora3a  :)

    pray for me

    joe


    thanks Joe for ur encouragement. and sorry that i can't make it regularly as i have my exams now , so really i need prayers  and time also beside it :).

    but i trust in God , and in u that u won't forget me in prayers .
    th prayers Virgin St Mary and all siaints be will u ,
  • No problems Mankindloverson... and please pray for me also, as I also have exams

    pray for me

    joe
  • [center][glow=red,2,300][u]+ Stage " 5 " + [/glow] [/center] [/u]

    [glow=red,2,300][center]The Holy Family at Wadi El Natroun [/center] [/glow]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Anba Beshoy Monastery[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Anba Beshoy Monastery - Wadi El Natroun[/center]

    Their trail from Sakha, is recorded in the documentation of Pope Theophilus's vision, and attested to by Coptic practice in the Christian era For it was to Wadi el Natroun (Natroun Valley) that they now came, after crossing the Rosetta branch of the Nile to the western Delta, and heading south into Wadi el-Natroun (then called Al Asqeet in the Western Desert of Egypt. In the earliest decades of Christianity, the desert expanses of Wadi el-Natroun became the site of anchoretic settlement and, later, of many monasteries, in spiritual commemoration of the Holy Family's passage through the Valley.


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Interiors of the Monastery Chapel[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Entrance of the Monastery Chapel[/center]


    [shadow=red,left]AL - SORIAN MONASTERY PICTURES : [/shadow]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Tree of St. Ephrem[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Ancient Refectory Table[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Grapes squcezer[/center]


    [center]image[/center][center]The Prophecies gate[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Sorian Monastery - Wadi El Natroun[/center]


    ABU MAKAR MONASTERY PICTURES :


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Abu Makar Monastery
    Church - Wadi El Natroun[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Abu Makar Monastery[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Anneses to Abu Makar Monastery[/center]


    A PICTURE FROM EL BARAMOSE MONASTERY :


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Al - Baramose Monastery - Wadi El Natroun[/center]


  • Today We Celebrate as the Holy Family Visited Egypt , and made it a blessed area .

    Let's go deeper in two points hope they may have anice effect on our growth in spiritual lifes by the Grace of God  :

    1- Go away from the devil :
    --------------------------

    the point here my beloved is that we can't face the devil alone , and we can't say " we will beat him " . and stress on the temptation and its thoughts .Really if we did like this way it will be a nice chance for the devil to fall us in the sin  .

    As we saw the Holy family walked away from the devil . as Heroudies wanna kill the Child Jesus Christ , the Holy family moved away from his angery face.

    So let's go away from a discussion with the devil . it will be so nice if we just we think that we can beat him by the grace of God . and i trust my beloved if we call God , He never ever let us alone , He will save us from the temptation . aren't we His lovely children ?

    So , we ask God to keep us away from the deivil face , away from the places that may fall us in the sin , away from the  people who may make us fall in sin , away from any situation that may fall us in the sin . and trust in God , if we r away we will beat him as we will get a great power from God.



    2-the idoles of Egypt broke down :
    ---------------------------------

    the second point is that  the idloes broke down .
    the bad attitude  ends as Lord Jesus enter the life ,
    is this really what we do ???!
    many times we feel God and meet Him and we r so happy to be in this case , but the important point is that we don't go back and rebuild the broken idoles ,

    the broken idooles in our lifes may be the love of money , the love of sin , the love of ego,  the love of be over all , the love of any thing that make us away from our beloved God Jesus Christ .
    So we may repent and feel that God enter our life and really feel that all bad things ended . but sadly we go back and rebuild the broken idoles . . . . . .

    the point here my beloved isn't current feeling only , no , but we need to know the concept of repentance in a real meaning , repentance is to hate the sin and love the God . exchange the place of the sin in our hearts and make God fill this empty place  .
    Dears , if we love God deeply and know Him more , we will consider the value of repentance in our life .

    May God make us always be away from the devil face, and make us love Him more and more to always feel Him and repent . as a repentance is a great gate in the spiritual life .

    Mention me in your prayers .
  • [center][glow=red,2,300]+ Stage " 6 " + [/glow] [/center]
    [center]The Holy Family at Matareya & Ain Shams & Zeitoun [/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Ain Shams Obelisk - Ain Shams[/center]


    THE HOLY FAMILY AT MATAREYA & AIN SHAMS :

    Eventually, they left the desert behind them and made their way southwards, crossing the Nile to its eastern bank,and heading for Matariyah and Ain Shams (ancient Heliopolis, the site of the oldest university’ in history called since earliest Pharaonic times, ‘On’). Both these adjacent districts are outlying suburbs of present day Cairo, only 10 kms or so from the city center.


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Veil of The Sanctuary - Virgen Mary
    Church - Zeitoun - Cairo[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]An Icons at Virgen Mary
    Church - Zeitoun[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Virgen Mary Church - Zeitoun[/center]




    THE HOLY FAMILY AT ZEITOUN :

    At the time of the Holy Family's arrival there, Ain Shams was home to a large Jewish community, who had erected a temple - the Synagogue of Unias, - for their worship. In Matareyah, a tree stil1 stands to this day, still regularly visited, called 'Mary's Tree", for the Family is believed to have rested in its shade. Here, too, the Infant Jesus caused water to flow from a spring, from which He drank and blessed, and in which the Virgin washed His clothes. She poured the washing water on to the ground, and from that spot, the fragrant balsam plant blossomed: besides the healing and pain-soothing properties of this balm, its essence is used in the preparation of the scents and perfumes of which the holy Chrism is composed.
    Setting out next towards Old Cairo, the Holy Family rested for a while in Zeitoun, on their way; then proceeded along a course which traverses what are now crowded, bustling quarters of Cairo, within which the serene landmarks of an earlier Coptic heritage still stand, marking the paths the Holy Family followed. A listing of these landmarks, at this point, may be of pertinent interest :


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]St. Mary's Tree - Matareya - Cairo[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]An Icon at Virgen Mary
    church - Zeitoun[/center]
  • This is really a God send!!! Giving thanks and praises!!! God keep you in your good works forever!!!
  • thanks Elsi for ur response and ur encouragement . by the Grace of God we can do every thing  within Jesus who strenthen us
    God be with u ,
    Mention me in ur prayers .,
  • [center][glow=red,2,300]+ Stage " 7 " + [/glow] [/center]


    [center]The Holy Family within the area of Old Cairo [/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]An Icon at the convent of
    St. George (Mari Gerges) - Old Cairo
    [/center]


    In Central Cairo :

    * The Church of the Virgin Mary in Zuweila Ailey.
    * The Church of St. George the Martyr.
    * The Church of St.Mercurios Abu Sefein (he of the Two Swords).
    * The Convent of the VirghT Mary.
    * The Convent of St. George.


    THE HOLY FAMILY WITHIN THE AREA OF MID-CAIRO
    --------------------------------------------------


    In the down-town district of Clot Bey:
    * The Cathedral of St. Mark in Azbekich.
    * Numerous churches attached to the Cairo headquarters of many of Egypt's monasteries.
    * The Church of the Virgin Mary (known by the name: Ezbaweya).


    THE HOLY FAMILY WITHIN THE AREA OF OLD CAIRO :

    The area now called Old Cairo, known as Misr EI Kadhna, is among the most important locations visited by the Holy Family where thespiritual impact of their presence is most felt still; though their stay was brief, for the Governor of what was then Fustat - enraged by the tumbling down of idols at Jesus's approach - sought to kill the Child. But they took shelter from his wrath in a cave above which, in the later years, the Church of Abu Serga (St Sergius) was built. This, and the whole area of the Fort of Babylon, is a destination of pilgrimage not only for the Egyptians but for Christians from around the world. An air of piety and devotion pervades the whole district.

    Here, too, it is useful to list the sites which visitors to the Fortress of Babylon section of Old Cairo take in:


    * The Church of Abu Serga and the Crypt of the Holy Family beneath it.
    * Al-Muallaqa (Hanging Church),dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Patriarchal See of the Coptic Church in the early centuries.
    * The Church of St. Barbara.
    * The Church of St. George (in the Palace of Waxworks).
    * The Church of the Virgin, identified by its alternative name of Qasriet Al-Rihan (Basil Pot).
    * The Convent of St George.
    * The Coptic Museum and the raniparts of the Fortress of Babylon.
    * The Greek Orthodox Church of St. George.
    * The Jewish Synagogue of Ben Ezra.

    The Fustat section of Old Cairo, which lies west of the Mosque of Amr Ibn’l Aas, includes:
    * The Church of St. Mercurios Abu Sefein ( he of the two Swords).
    * The Church of Abba Shenouda.
    * The Church of the Virgin Mary of l-Demshiria.
    * The Convent of Abu Sefein.
    * The Church of the Virgin of Babylon El Darag.
    * The Church of Saints Abakir and Yohanna.
    * The Church of Prince Tadros Al Mishrigi.
    * The Church of the.Archangel Mikhail (known also as AlMalak Al-Qibli - or Southern Angel’).
    * The Church of St. Mena in Zahraa - Misr El Kadima.


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Enterance of the Cathedral of St. Mark -
    Ezbakieh - Central Cairo[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Enterance of Virgen Mary Church -
    Zuwaila Alley - Central Cairo[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]The Cathedral of St. Mark - Ezbekieh[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Top of the Sanctuary - the Church of Abu Sefein - Old Cairo[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]An Icon at the Church of Abu Sefein[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]The Church of Abu Sefein[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]The Church of Abu Sefein - Old Cairo[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Interiors of the Church[/center]


    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Steps of the Crypt - the Church
    of Abu Serga[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]The alter of the Church
    of Abu Serga - Old Cairo[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]The ancient alter of the Churchof the Abu Serga[/center]



    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Interiors of the Church of Al Malak Al Qibli - Old Cairo[/center]



    [center]image[/center]

    [center]image[/center]

    [center]image[/center]
    [center]Interiors of the Church of St. Barbara - Old Cairo[/center]
  •                           The Holy Family in Upper Egypt

    Dir - El Garnous
    The village of Dir El Garnous is about 10km west of Ishnin el Nasara. Nowadays there is a church there, named after the Holy Virgin Mary which goes back to the 19th century. Besides the western wall, there is a well where the Holy Family drank on their way south.

    El- Bahnasa
    One of the important places which the Holy Family passed by is El-Bahnasa. It is 17km west of Bani-Mazar. Palladius (the author of "Paradise of monks" a.k.a. "The Lausic History) mentions that there were 30,000 monks and nuns there. An Arab historian, Al-Makrizi mentions there used to be 30 churches there, but only that of the Holy Virgin there (in the 15th century)

  • [coptic]Namenra] tyrou>[/coptic]
    Dear all,
    [coptic]`<rictoc analy`'ic[/coptic]
    Jesus has ascended
    [coptic]]sep`hmot `nouon niben er`cpodyc qen taime;moust ;ai[/coptic]
    Thanks to every one who had an effort in this post (lit. opinion)
    [coptic]`V] efe`cmou erwten tyrou> ouoh twbh `e`hryi ejwn emasw[/coptic]
    God bless you all and pray for us a lot
    [coptic]Oujai qen `P=[=c[/coptic]
  • this is awsome.. you can have a full conversation in Coptic, or greek, can't oyu....
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