Trip
on the Nile
"Christ
in Egypt
Trip on the Nile
This Icon is at Holy Virgin Mary Church
In his old age, Jeremiah the prophet lived in Egypt (Jer. 43:8-9). It is believed that he sojourned there for four years and prophesied to the Egyptian pagan priests that their idols would fall and all their graven images would be destroyed when a virgin mother with a child, born in a manger, would enter Egypt. In accordance to this prophecy, the Egyptians depicted a similar scene in their temples.
The Holy Family escaped Herod’s massacre by fleeing to Egypt. In fulfillment of the prophecy, the idols throughout Egypt fell down and shattered into pieces as they traveled from one city to the next. During their journey, they sailed on the Nile River.
According to oral tradition, they set out from the spot where the present Church of the Holy Virgin at Maadi lies towards Upper Egypt.
An ancient hymn reminds us: “At the very time Christ arrived in Egypt, straightway, all of the statues fashioned by man were shaken down. For the One Who caused trembling in Herod also brought on the quaking of the idols. He was hidden in the arms of His Mother, but He acted as God. He proceeded into Egypt and an angel from on high ministered to His flight.”