By Theresa Lumo Kung, Focolare Movement
I am deeply grateful for the invitation from Father Dawoud Hanna, who organized an enriching eight-day pilgrimage to Egypt. Our group consisted of 30 people, including Coptic Christians, members of other Christian denominations, Catholics, and two catechumens. Although most of us did not know each other beforehand, it was a wonderful opportunity to embark on this journey together. Each person truly became a gift to one another.
The life of the Holy Family in Egypt is not widely known within the Roman Catholic Church, but it is rich and detailed in the Orthodox Coptic Church. Their tradition dates back to St. Mark, who arrived in Egypt in 43 AD, where he preached the Good News and was later martyred. St. Mark is regarded as the patron saint of the Coptic Church, and its followers take great pride in their apostolic succession, maintaining all traditions from the time of St. Mark to the present day. Coptics refer to Egypt as the second Jerusalem, as the Holy Family lived there for more than three years.
The first stop filled me with awe as we entered the Monastery of Samallout, which features a small chapel transformed from the cave where the Holy Family lived for three days. I wished I had time to meditate in that quiet chapel and reflect on their difficult, harsh, and frightening situation. While today’s refugees may face different challenges, they always exist in the threatening atmosphere of being in flight.
What also attracted me was the painting of the Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus by St. Luke. It is said that this portrayal closely resembles the face of the living Virgin Mary. Unlike many statues or paintings of Mary that we commonly see, this one features a beautiful round face and big eyes, looking at me with kindness and gentleness.
What also attracted me was the painting of the Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus by St. Luke. It is said that this portrayal closely resembles the face of the living Virgin Mary
A very powerful moment during our visit was at the Coptic Church dedicated to the 21 Martyrs of Libya. This church, built in 2018 in the small village of al-Our, honours 13 of the martyred men who were originally from the area. These young and strong construction workers were kidnapped in Sirte in 2014 and tragically beheaded in 2015 because they chose to uphold their faith.
Through DNA analysis, their bodies were reunited with their heads for burial. In the church, glass boxes display their relics, featuring their hands tied behind them and remnants of their torn prison clothes. These individuals are recognized as saints of our time—simple people with a deep faith rooted in God.
Persecution and martyrdom have long been significant pillars supporting the Coptic Church through its trials.
Another young saint is Martyr Abanoub of Nehis, a 4th-century Christian and the only son of his parents. At the age of 12, during a period of persecution, the pagan governor, Abanoub, seized him and had him beaten. However, the Archangel Michael healed him. He was then sent to Alexandria by boat, where he was hung upside down on the mast. Once again, he was miraculously healed. Ultimately, after enduring further severe tortures, God welcomed him to heaven. May God grant us such courage should we ever encounter similar situations!
A very powerful moment during our visit was at the Coptic Church dedicated to the 21 Martyrs of Libya. This church, built in 2018 in the small village of al-Our, honours 13 of the martyred men who were originally from the area
The visit to The Holy Virgin Mary Monastery in Assiut was truly impressive. It is believed that the Holy Family stayed there for the longest period because it was a quiet place, likely far from the border, making it less probable for Roman soldiers to follow them. Additionally, they likely found people there who assisted them with food and other necessities for living. The monastery has three notable characteristics: 1) It is home to the only altar that did not require a consecration ceremony, as it was used by the Child Jesus, thereby consecrated by him; 2) The monastery was attacked by the barbarians of that time; 3) Mass has been celebrated there continuously since the prediction of the Virgin Mary.
In the many churches and monasteries we visited, there were numerous legends accompanying the rich history, reflecting the strong faith of the Coptic Church and their absolute trust in God’s loving care. One intriguing legend concerns the small right footprint that the Child Jesus left on a stone in Sakha. The wells in the area served as the source of water for the Holy Family, and the basin is believed to be where the Virgin Mary kneaded flour! Another legend involves a staff left by a saint that bloomed into a tree, which has existed for 1,700 years and still bears fruit annually. These fruits are used as remedies for the sick monks.
The highlight of our pilgrimage was the meeting with Tawadros II of Alexandria, the pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He welcomed us warmly and answered two questions posed by members of our group. On behalf of the group, we presented him with a statue of Our Lady of Sheshan. He shared that he had met Pope Francis and noted that the commemoration of the martyrs of Libya is also included in the Catholic calendar in February. He expressed happiness about our visit and hoped to receive feedback from us regarding our trip.
A particularly admirable aspect was finding around 150 monks in nearly every large monastery [I was grateful to have visited the oldest one, St. Anthony], many of whom were quite young, as evidenced by the length of their beards. They dedicate long hours to prayer, with each monk assigned an important task, such as ringing the bell to wake everyone for prayers. In ancient times, their diet consisted solely of dates, water, and bread! It is amazing to witness how God continues to call so many young men to monastic life.
