Table of contents hide 1 “Peace and harmony constitute the greatest wealth of the family.” Benjamin Franklin. 2 “Spiritual Trips” The Holy Family in Egypt. 3 Places visited on spiritual trips by pilgrims. 4 Love is the first step towards the constitution of the family.

Spiritual Trips The Holy Family. Josiah and Mary, after the visit of the wise men, could not return to Nazareth. Saint Joseph had a dream where the angel announced that King Herod was in search of the child Jesus to end his life, therefore Saint Joseph as protector of the Virgin and the child Jesus made the decision to undertake the escape from the place. The choice of the route and place must have been influenced by the angels.

It is believed that the journey of the holy family in Egypt was necessary, because that was where the events that marked the people of God took place, so he could have contact with his ancestors and with his history, since in Egypt it was where the people and the nation of Israel truly formed, the memory of Abraham and the great covenant with God must have been present in their minds, which turned the journey into reviving history. of his people turning the journeys through Egypt into spiritual journeys.

"Peace and harmony constitute the greatest wealth of the family." Benjamin Franklin.

“Spiritual Trips” The Holy Family in Egypt.

For the Virgin Mary, the journey of the holy family in Egypt was one of the strongest spiritual journeys that she had to make in her life, she must have had endless meaning for her, since in the scriptures was the prophecy she expressed long before of the birth of Jesus, the life and importance that this would have for the world. The virgin Mary would be watching the prophecy fulfill her step "From Egypt call my son" ( Matthew 2, 15 ). All ancient manuscripts narrate the fulfillment of the prophecy “Behold, the Lord shakes the Egyptian idols before him, and the heart melts he comes from Egypt . Its interior ” (Isaiah 19, 1) causing the fall of the statues of pagan temples after their passage.

The trip of the holy family in Egypt was a journey full of penalties for desert and desolate lands, managing to rest in the oases that were in its path. Many stories of miracles are known what happened on the journey of the holy family in Egypt, although the Catholic religion recognizes as the first miracle of Jesus that he performed at the wedding in Cana. It tells the story that all the people who shared the journey of the holy family in Egypt underwent great spiritual changes and many of them were elevated to holiness. They say that the virgin Mary dedicated herself to weaving and that that was the way to make a living, that was where she wove the only robe of Jesus, which then grew with him over the years, becoming a miracle.

During the trip of the holy family in Egypt they went through villages, leaving places that are considered s antos and that today are recognized and considered as excellent places to make spiritual trips, which are currently traveled by thousands of pilgrim believers, coming from all over the world.

Places visited on spiritual trips by pilgrims.

Among the places most visited by believers is the Coptic church of San Sergio, which was built on the house that inhabited the holy family in Egypt.

There is also the village of Matarié where the remains of a beautiful sycamore tree known as the Maria tree , where the virgin rested and sheltered to protect from the sun. There is the only source of fresh water and is known as the source of Mary. According to tradition, the virgin bathed the baby Jesus and washed his robe in that place. In this small village they built a small room where they lived for a while before continuing to Cairo.

"Love is the first step towards the constitution of the family."

His itinerary was made throughout the Mediterranean from Gaza to Cairo . The believers go on a pilgrimage twice a year to the village of Deir Abu Henmas, 300 km south of Cairo . The first of January to celebrate the arrival of the holy family in Egypt and the first of June to honor the virgin Mary.

Some estimate that the holy family remained in Egypt for 7 years but according to the Coptic tradition they were only 4 years. They toured the country from north to south, from Farama on the north coast to Asiut south of Cairo. Without a doubt, it is a beautiful place full of life, tradition and the suffering of a family touched by God, believers are invited to make spiritual trips to Egypt to understand a little more the history and journey of this family .

AUTHOR: Antonio, editor of the great family of hermandadblanca.org