Pope Tawadros II prays for the Nile

CAIRO – 1 June 2023: Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, prayed for blessing the Nile waters this morning after performing the mass commemorating the entry of the Holy family of Jesus Christ to Egypt.

The prayers were performed at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Maadi, with the participation of Bishop Daniel, the secretary of the Holy Synod, and a group of bishops, priests and the church's congregation.

The Holy Family came to Egypt to flee the oppression of King Herod, who persecuted Christians, and wanted to kill Christ and his mother, the Virgin Mary, so she ran away carrying her child and took this holy and arduous journey full of pain and trouble until she arrived to Egypt, where they spent around 3 years.

The official website of the Coptic Orthodox Church stated thathad to pass through the hills and deserts between Egypt and Palestine, and not through any of the three recognized roads at the time - because they were fleeing from King Herod.

The Holy Family walked from Bethlehem to Gaza to the Zaranik Protectorate, 37 km west of Al-Arish. Then they entered Egypt via the northern side of Al-Farma city, located between the cities of Al-Arish and Port Said.