HYDERABAD: The Coptic area in Old Cairo gave me a feeling of stepping back in time and being in the Bible. One of the most famous bible stories is when King Herod ordered to kill all the male children, and this is where the Holy Family fled to and sought refuge! The crowded, bustling quarters of Old Cairo, within which the serene landmarks of an earlier Coptic heritage still stand, mark the path the Holy Family followed.
The Church of Abu Serga (Saints Sergius and Bacchus) is famous for its secret basement (cave) where the Holy Family took shelter during their flight from the wrath of King Herodotus. They may have lived here while Joseph worked at the Babylon Fortress. The crypt is ten metres deep and, when the Nile levels are high, it is often flooded. When I entered the cave that sheltered infant Jesus for 70 days, it made me quite emotional.
In their escape from the infanticide fury of King Herod, the Holy Family, understandably, had to avoid the well-travelled roads. They picked their way, day after day, through hidden valleys and across uncharted plateaus in the then rugged wastelands of Sinai. They endured the scorching heat of the sun by day and the bitter cold of the desert by night. All fears of the young mother for her Infant were calmed by the faith that infused her with His birth, especially when she experienced how they were preserved from the threat of wild beasts and savage tribesmen, and how their daily sustenance was miraculously provided. They arrived, at last, safely, in Egypt.
Old Cairo is among the most important locations visited by the Holy Family. The spiritual impact of their presence is still felt, though their stay was brief because of the Governor of the area, enraged by the tumbling down of idols at Jesus’ approach, sought to kill the Child. They took shelter from his wrath in a cave above which, the Church of Abu Serga was later built. This, and the whole area of the Fort of Babylon is a destination of pilgrimage for Christians from around the world.
After their short, but impressive stay in Old Cairo, the Holy Family moved in a southerly direction, reaching the modern Cairo suburb of Maadi. In earlier pharaonic times it was an outlying district of Memphis, the Capital of Egypt. From Maadi, they boarded a sailboat to carry them up the Nile towards southern Egypt. The historic church built upon the spot from which they embarked, dedicated to the Virgin, is further identified by the denominal, “Al-Adaweya” meaning the “Virgin’s Church of the Ferry.” In fact, the name of that modern suburb, Maadi, derives from the Arabic word for “the crossing point.” It is believed that the stone steps leading down to the riverbank were used by the Holy Family.
An event of miraculous importance seemed to have occurred on March 12, 1976: a Holy Bible of unknown origin was carried by the lapping ripples of the Nile to the bank below the church. It was opened to the page in the Book of Isaiah declaring, “Blessed be Egypt My people”. This Bible is now preserved behind glass in that church.Coptic tradition maintains that later the Holy Family took refuge in a cave in the Palm Mountain (Gabal El-Kaf). As they rested in its shade, child Jesus stretched his hand to hold back a rock, which was about to detach itself from the mountainside and fall upon them. It is said that the imprint of His palm is still visible.
The whole journey, from the initial flight from Bethlehem to the return to St. Joseph’s old house, in the small town of Nazareth in Galilee, lasted over three years. It covered approximately 2,000 km (1,250 miles). The flight of the Holy Family in Egypt is also found in the writings of Hippolytus of Rome. He was a theologian, an active church leader and a Biblical commentator during the early 3rd century. He indicates that the Holy Family stayed in Egypt for 3 years and 6 months. He may have received the early local traditions within the Christian church in Egypt just over 200 years after the death of Christ. As Christianity in Egypt spread, churches were built throughout the length and breadth of the land. The primary sites chosen were the ones visited and blessed by the Holy Family’s travels.
The Church of Abu Sergawas built in the 4th century (probably finished during the 5th century), on the spot where the Holy Family rested: it was burned during the fire of Fustat around 750 AD. It was then restored during the 8th century, and has been rebuilt and restored constantly since medieval times; however, it is still considered to be a model of the early Coptic churches. The most precious and ancient of the icons are on the southern wall. A vast central hall is divided into three naves by two rows of pilasters. The roof is one of the most interesting features of the church and said to have been in the shape of Noah’s ark.For me it was like opening a time capsule dating from, you know when!!
(The author is a documentary filmmaker and travel writer; she blogs at vijayaprataptravelandbeyond.com)