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

The Upper Egypt Tour

Dayr Abu Hinnis

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Dayr Abu Hinnis is a Christian village, with three Orthodox, and two Evangelical churches. The most important location related to the Holy Family is Kom Maria ‘the hill of Maria’, a slightly elevated hill of sand just outside the village , where the Holy Virgin is said to have rested. Kom Maria is less than one kilometer from the fifth century Church of Abu Hinnis, which was founded by St. John the Short, a Coptic hermit and saint who lived in Wadi Al-Natrun, and fled to this area in A.D. 407 after the Wadi Al-Natroun had been attacked by raiders.

Remarkable in this area are the dozens of sixth century hermit caves and the rock-cut church in the mountains between Dayr Abu Hinnis and Dayr el–Barsha. There, we see wonderful paintings of the archangel instructing Joseph to take the Holy Family to Egypt, [Matthew 2:13] and of King Herod giving orders to slay the children of Bethlehem [Matthew 2: 16]. These are the oldest murals in the world depicting the fight to Egypt.

The area of Kom Maria and Dayr Abu Hinnis is usually quiet with only a few people coming for prayer. But, if you go there in January, on the day the church commemorates the murder of the children of Bethlehem or in June, on the day of the commemoration of the Holy Family crossing the border at Al-Arish, Sinai, you will witness an unsurpassed celebration. The bishop of Mallawi determines every year the exact days of the celebrations. On these occasions, the Bishop crosses the Nile in a boat decorated with paintings of the Holy Family. He walks with the congregation in a very heart-touching procession with icons and singing deacons through the village ending in a celebration at Kom Maria. There you witness a spiritual celebration you will not forget in your lifetime.

© copyright.	© copyright. photo: Popko van Meekeren The bishop crosses the Nile during the celebration.
© copyright	© copyright Bishop Dimitrius with Drs. Cornelis Hulsman in his boat.
© copyright. photo: Claudia Wiens Pilgrims during the celebration in Dayr Abu Hinnis.	© copyright Bishop Dimitrius with two guests, both bishops, in his boat.
© copyright The bishop offers a pilgrimage certificate to Western visitors who have attended these celebrations.	© copyright Bishop Dimitrius speaking during the celebration.
© copyright. photo: Claudia Wiens Women during the celebration in Dayr Abu Hinnis.
Cave church and caves of hermits
© copyright Going to the caves near Abu Hinnis.	© copyright The sixth century cave church in the mountains between Dayr Abu Hinnis and Dayr el-Barsha showing the oldest painting of the flight to Egypt according to the gospel of Matthew. Here Herod gives orders to slay the children of Bethlehem [Matthew 2: 16].
© copyright Another painting on the cave’s wall of the angel appearing to Joseph in a dream telling him to “take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.” [Matthew 2:13 KJB].	© copyright Coptic texts on the wall of the cave .
© copyright One of the caves near Abu Hinnis.	© copyright A shaft used for burial in a cave, near Abu Hinnis.
Church of St. John the Short in Dayr Abu Hinnis
© copyright A marble stone with Coptic inscriptions on the altar dedicated to Saint Febroniya in the Church of St. John the Short at Dayr Abu Hinnis.	© copyright 5th century niche in the sanctuary of the Church of St. John the Short at Dayr Abu Hinnis.
© copyright. plan: Dr. Peter Grossmann Plan of the church of St. John the Short.	© copyright A room in the guesthouse of the Church of St. John the Short at Dayr Abu Hinnis.
© copyright Ancient way of making butter.	© copyright Boat along the Nile.