The Holy Family in Egypt

In 2000, Egypt launched a major tourist initiative to remind people throughout the world of one of the major events of biblical history: the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. The programme encourages travellers to retrace the steps of Jesus Christ with his mother, the Virgin Mary, and Joseph in Egypt.

According to the New Testament, the Lord warned Joseph that King Herod, the King of Israel, was planning to kill Jesus. The Family thus decided to flee Bethlehem and escape to Egypt. "Take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt" (Matthew 2:13).

Jesus Christ lived in Palestine, and he travelled to Egypt. During their time in Egypt, Jesus, Mary and Joseph visited many places. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism is now urging travellers to follow the route taken by the Holy Family in their 'great escape' from King Herod.

In order to promote this initiative, the ministry published a book, with the approval of Pope Shenoudah III of the Coptic Orthodox Church, describing the route taken by the Holy Family. The book has been translated from Arabic into English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Greek and Japanese.

The ministry also carried out a major renovation project in Old Cairo, believed to be one of the major stations of the Holy Family in Egypt. The area includes major Islamic, Coptic and Jewish sites including the Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-As, the Hanging Church and the Synagogue of Ben Ezra. The $15- million project, focussing on social, economic and constructural development of the area, started in May 1999 and was inaugurated in April 2001.