the Holy Family

St. Sergius & Bacchos church:

It is traditionally held that the Holy Family, infant Jesus, virgin Mary and t. Joseph visited the area during the Flight into Egypt, seeking refuge from Herod. The church was built over a subterranean crypt where the Holy Family refuge for three months during their flight into Egypt.

The Hanging Church

was originally founded in the late 3rd or early 4th century AD. The church was built above the ancient Roman Fortress of Babylon, located now in Old Cairo area.

Virgin Mary’s tree

The Holy Family took refuge to the shade under a sycamore tree. Jesus Christ created a well, blessed it and drank from it. The Holy Virgin also used its water to bath Jesus. On the place where she threw out the water, a ‘balsam’ plant grew which gave a beautiful fragrance, that is why it is called the Tree of the Holy Virgin. That ‘balsam’ is being used for making Mayron oil as an essential component of it. Myron oil, also known as holy chrism or holy anointing oil, is a sacred consecrated oil used in Christian sacraments like baptism within the Orthodox and Catholic traditions.

The sweet water well

in Wadi Natrun is known as Bir Mariam (Mary's Well) or the miraculous spring of Al-Hamra village. The infant Jesus created a well to be opened in the ground surrounded by saline lakes.

Tell Basta

When the Holy Family arrived in Tell Basta, the townspeople were inhospitable and refused to give them water. Lord Jesus created a water spring (a well) to miraculously burst forth from the ground, providing them with fresh water.

Gabal Al Teir monastery

Through their flight journey on the River Nile, The Holy Family sheltered in a cave, the monastery is located on a limestone cliff overlooking the Nile River. The monastery dates back to the 4th century.

the Monastery of Al-Muharraq

The area where the Monastery of Al-Muharraq is located now at Mount Qosqam, was barren desert and so every town surrounding it today was non-existent, except for an abandoned house and water well adjacent to it. The Holy Family rested in that modest house after it was repaired and restored by St. Joseph

Dronka Monastery

The Ancient Cave Church: The spiritual heart of the monastery is its magnificent Cave Church. It occupies a massive prehistoric cavern measuring 160 meters long and 60 meters deep, which is believed to be the exact cave where the Holy Family took shelter as the final stop during the flight into Egypt.