Egypt celebrates 50th anniversary of Virgin Mary apparition

CAIRO – 10 May 2018: On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the great apparition of Virgin Mary in in Egypt, Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria said that the historical event was a message of love from God to Egyptians.

The apparition of the Virgin in Egypt in 1968 was a message of condolence to all Egyptians following the defeat of the Egyptian army to Israel in June 1967, Pope Tawadros said during his speech on Thursday. "The country was in a difficult situation, but God bestowed his love on all Egyptians,” he added.



Pope Twadros illustrated that the holy virgin kept on appearing intermittingly over a period of two years, adding that her appearance in Egypt was accompanied by several miracles that were hailed and witnessed by millions around the world.

The Pope continued: “The Egyptian government then decided to allocate the land facing the church at which Virgin Mary appeared to establish a great cathedral named after her.”

Al-Zaitoun district was one of the key stops of the Holy Family's journey.

“There are people living among us who witnessed the apparition of Virgin Mary; the church is still one of the most important and most visited places for Egyptians and tourists,” the pope concluded.



In 2011, Egypt also witnessed another remarkable sighting of the Virgin at a Coptic Orthodox Church in Warraq Island, Cairo, which came following a bomb attack that targeted the Alexandria-based Saints Church of St. Mark & Pope Peter on Christmas eve; the attack killed about 21 Copts.