|
From (( Al –Mahamah )) they left for BELBEIS ,where they also rested in the shade of a
tree , wich was consecrated as ((The tree of Virgin Mary)) ,and
has ever since acquried the respect of both Christians and
Moslems and most of them bury their dead near the Tree ,and the
place is regarded as a holy ground . it has also been stated
that Napoleon s soldiers , passing near the town , wanted to cut
down the Tree and use it for fueling , but with the first axe
stroke , the Tree began to bleed , the soldiers were dreaded and
dared touch it no more . It was mentioned that the mosque of
osman ibn – Amary lying the middle of the town has also been
built there as a tribute to the Holy family s visit .
From Belbeis , they departed for Meniet Genah , then to samanoud , then to Burulus
and then to Al – Mahallah , where
they crossed the Nile to western bank and there thy stayed some
days at Sakha ,a village of kafr el Sheikh,and it was there that the
CHILD left his foot –print on a rock , and it was called ((JESUS
HELL )) .Then they went westward , paralled to WADI –EL NATRUN
whose prescence seemed to
have blessed the place , for it became the site of many
monasteries more than fifty of which only four are inhabited to
–day.
Then they went to
EIN SHAMS
, now called
AL-MATARIAH
where they sat after a
troublesome effort , under a tree , the name of which still
remains to –day , and it is also named after the Holy Virgin .
There again the Child caused a spring to flow and he blessed it
. The hholy Mother washed the clothes of her son , and of the
washing water , God caused a fragrant plant to grow ,
(( BALSAM
)) ,it is used even
to –day in the consecration of churches and altars , all
articles thereof and in the consecrated Chrism oil used in
baptism . Then the HOLY FAMILY headed southward to Babylon , of
Old Cairo
, where they stayed for
some time, in the cave, which is now part of
ST.SERGUIS
CHURCH .
|