Holy Family in Egypt - Tour the sites and meet the people at Holy Family sites in Egypt

The Delta-Sinai Tour

Sakha

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Traveling westward the Holy Family came to the place now known as Sakha, a town 135 km. north of Cairo. In Sakha we visit the Church of the Holy Virgin, probably built on the location of one of the four prominent monasteries in medieval times in this area. Only one of these monasteries, Dimyana, survived unto this day.

Sakha has become famous in modern days for the discovery of the “Bikha Isus” or the footprint of Jesus in 1984. At a depth of approximately 1.5 m., Halim Philippus, a supervisor in the church, found a light gray stone about eighty centimeters long with a tiny brownish impression. On its back the word ‘Allah’ (God) was written in Arabic. On its top - another stone was found that resembled half a capital from a column.

Halim knew from tradition that the monks in this area who had buried the stone of the footprint of Jesus, had placed this half of a column as a marker on its top. The “Bikha Isus” is now preserved in a glass case for protection. Additionally, near this church you will see a thorn tree, believed to be similar to that from which the crown of thorns of Jesus was made [Matthew 27:29].

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The iconostasis of the Church of the Holy Virgin in Sakha. We can see different beautiful shapes of crosses.

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A thorn tree near the Church of the Holy Virgin in Sakha, believed to be similar to that from which the crown of thorns of Jesus was made [Matthew 27:29].

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Details of the remains from an older church taken to the Church of the Holy Virgin in Sakha.

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A picture of the birth of Jesus at the Church of the Holy Virgin in Sakha, with the Holy Virgin, St. Joseph, and the wise men who came from the east to see the new born king and present their gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. [Matthew 3:11].

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Halim Philippus, the man who discovered the “Bikha Isus” or the footprint of Jesus in 1984 at the church of the Holy Virgin in Sakha. On the stone we can see clearly the dark spot which is the footprint of Jesus.

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The “Bikha Isus” or the footprint of Jesus discovered in 1984 at the Church of the Holy Virgin in Sakha, preserved into a glass box for protection. Through the glass we can see small pieces of papers carrying the visitors’ wishes and prayers which is typically Orthodox. The dark spot is the footprint of Jesus.