Celebration of Holy Family's journey mirrors Egypt's unity

"Egypt will mark in June the completion of the first phase of a project retracing the Holy Family's exodus into the country around 2000 years ago," Tourism Minister Mamdouh El-Beltagui said Tuesday.

The Minister told a press conference that the celebration mirrors the unity of Egyptian Muslims and Christians.

"The date of the celebration marks the Holy Family's exodus into Egypt according to the Coptic calendar," Beltagui said.

"The ceremony, with a pure Egyptian flavor, will be held in Old Cairo and will be attended by a large group of Arab and foreign dignitaries," he added.

The completed first phase of the project begins with the first point the Holy Family reached when it crossed Palestine into Egypt. It includes the area of Farms, now Suez, and proceeds all the way to Old Cairo in the heart of the capital.