The Holy Family in Egypt

Egypt has both Christian and Moslem communities and the politics of the Middle East are equally diverse. Air your views on the situation.

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PRchick
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The Holy Family in Egypt

Post by PRchick »

My first trip to Cairo we toured a Coptic church built over where the Holy Family once lived during their time in Egypt. The Tourism Ministry puts out a brochure showing the places the Holy Family traveled while in Egypt.

Here is a map of their travels:

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Here is one account of their travels:

http://orthodoxwiki.org/The_Holy_Family_in_Egypt


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LivinginLuxor
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Post by LivinginLuxor »

I think the true description should be "reputed to have stayed", but I guess that might not be such a commercial proposition.
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Post by PRchick »

Are you saying the Copts are lying Stan?
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Post by LivinginLuxor »

I wouldn't put it that strongly, but the story cannot be proved and does bring many visitors to the monasteries concerned, just as "holy relics" brought pilgrims to the medieval cathedrals, which obviously filled their coffers.
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Post by PRchick »

We were not asked to pay anything.

You also seem to think religious organizations should not be allowed to support themselves through selling things. What's wrong with that? They have bills to pay also. They don't give electricity away where I live. And unless they have their own gardens and livestock, I assume they have to buy food.
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Post by JOJO »

While in El-Minya we visited The Monastery of the Virgin Mary at Gebel-El-Teir. The cave which is where The Holy Family are said to have stayed is in the heart of the Monastery and has a shrine inside it.
The Original building of the church was constructed by Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great in the fourth century, she is believed to have also founded the Monastery of St.Catherine in Sinai.

I must admit I visited the Monastery open minded and entered the Cave, deep down wished I could of felt something there but unfortunatley I felt nothing whatsoever. :roll:
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Post by PRchick »

I don't think that is unusual JoJo. I went to the church in Cairo built over where the Holy Family is said to have lived and didn't get any particular feeling from the place itself.
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Post by HEPZIBAH »

[face=Comic Sans MS]JOJO & PR Chick - I'm a little curious to know what it was you expected to feel. Can you describe a bit about what it was that was missing for you please.[/face]
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Post by PRchick »

I didn't have any expectations Hepzi so I found nothing missing. It was interesting as a historical site but I don't attribute spiritual gifts to inanimate things. I know there are denominations that believe relics, icons, and other items have spiritual powers, and I respect their beliefs, but we just don't share them.
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Post by JOJO »

HEPZIBAH wrote:[face=Comic Sans MS]JOJO & PR Chick - I'm a little curious to know what it was you expected to feel. Can you describe a bit about what it was that was missing for you please.[/face]
I don't know what I expected to feel but I thought to myself if the Holy family had been there then surely one would feel it?
When I have visited other Historical sites including ones in the UK and Egypt there is always something, a certain feeling that you get and I suppose that is what I hoped for.

Over the last years my logic as told me that even though a man called Jesus more than likely existed I find it extremely doubtful that he was the Son of God, mainly because I do not believe there is a God especially a God that is depicted in the Bible.
HOWEVER I suppose my years of attending a C of E school and Sunday school is perhaps still having a little influence on me-if that makes sense :oops:

I would love nothing more than to have walked into that Monastery and felt God as deep down I would love nothing more than for someone or something to come a long and prove without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was the Son of God , and indeed that God or a superior being/greator existed at all.
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Post by PRchick »

Sometimes faith does come in a lightening bolt but more often it comes from a simple talk with God.
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Post by LivinginLuxor »

I oftten wonder if the sites said to have been used by the Holy Family, were formerly sites dedicated to the Osiris-Isis-Horus cult.
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Post by PRchick »

LivinginLuxor wrote:I oftten wonder if the sites said to have been used by the Holy Family, were formerly sites dedicated to the Osiris-Isis-Horus cult.
Doubtful Stan as they are mostly residential type places where churches were built over them. The tourism office has the booklet if you are interested.
"A man who has had a bull by the tail once has learned 60 or 70 times as much as a man who hasn't."
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