Egypt has been known as the oasis of security, the home of civilizations, and the cradle of religions. A good example is its embrace of many of the prophets of the Old Testament. An example of Egypt's prophetic and saintly footsteps is the journey of the Holy Family. Why did the Holy Family come to Egypt? And how long did Mary and Joseph stay in Egypt? Let’s learn about this journey.
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Why did the Holy Family come to Egypt?
Herod, one of the most heinous kings in history, ordered the death of all children under the age of two because he was not afraid the baby would grow up to take care of himself. However, Joseph was shown by the angel in the dream and instructed to take the child and Mary to Egypt. The angel said, "Take the boy and his mother and flee to Egypt, and be there until I tell you because Herod intends to ask the boy to perish." Joseph took the mother and child to Egypt at night and remained there until Herod died. The escape of the child, Mary and Joseph took place from Bethlehem to Egypt, according to the Gospel of Matthew, in order not to meet the Herod of the King, who is afraid of being crowded into the King by Christ.
How old was Jesus when they fled to Egypt?
From the Gospel of Matthew, some have explained that the boy's word benefits from age or age who is older than the child, and thus they are likely that when he entered Egypt, Christ was a two-year-old, and also based on Herod's King order to kill Bethlehem children of two years and less.
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How many days did it take Mary and Joseph to travel from Bethlehem to Egypt?
Understanding travel in that era requires considering the available methods. If Joseph and Mary traveled overland to Egypt, they likely followed trade routes from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, then down to Jaffa on the coast. From there, the "way of the sea" would have been the most direct route to Alexandria, the largest Jewish community in the region at the time. This offered the best chance for support, work, and community. Joseph, described as a "tekton" (craftsman), likely worked in wood, metal, or stone. His proximity to Sepphoris, then under reconstruction, suggests he was part of a tradesman's guild. Alexandria would have provided similar opportunities. The overland journey, approximately 300 miles, would have taken perhaps a month, considering a donkey's average travel of 12–15 miles per day.
However, a more probable route would have been by sea. Traveling the 40 miles from Jerusalem to Jaffa, they could have taken a boat to Alexandria.
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This 285-mile journey at a sailing speed of roughly 8 miles per hour would have taken less than two days. The gold from the Magi likely afforded them this option. Furthermore, the urgency of the angel's warning suggests time was critical. An overland journey risked being overtaken by Herod's soldiers. Traveling to Jaffa in two days and then by sea would have quickly placed them beyond Herod's reach.
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Where did Jesus live in Egypt?
The Holy Family's time in Egypt was marked by frequent movement, a necessity to evade Herod's spies. Their travels took them to important sites such as the Fortress of Babylon in Old Cairo, the Giza Pyramids, and a location where baby Jesus was nursed beneath a palm tree. They resided in various places, including Farama, Mostorod, Tel Basta, Belbeis, Samanoud, and Sakha, each location graced by Jesus' miracles and blessings.
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How many years did Jesus stay in Egypt?
Jesus' sojourn in Egypt, a period of approximately three and a half years, was spent in hiding. Following King Herod's death, the Holy Family was able to safely return to Palestine.
Tradition holds that the Holy Family's journey through Egypt began in Farma, east of the Nile. They then traveled to Mostorod, where a spring is said to have appeared upon their arrival. Their route took them to Sakha, known for a rock bearing the imprint of baby Jesus' foot, and then to Wadi El Natroun. They sat in a tree's shade just outside Cairo. During their journey, they most likely saw the ancient pyramids. The family proceeded to Maadi and Old Cairo before taking a boat over the Nile to Deir El Garnous and Gabal Al-Teir.
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Their longest stay was at Gebel Qussqam, where they remained for approximately six months. Before their return to the Holy Land, they stopped in Assiut.
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How long did Mary and Joseph stay in Egypt?
The duration of Joseph and Mary stay in Egypt is not specified in the Bible but is traditionally thought to have lasted for two to three years. This belief is based on the Gospel of Matthew, which recounts King Herod's order to kill all male infants in Bethlehem, prompting Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus.
They stayed there until Herod's death, after which they returned to Nazareth. While the exact duration is not included in the biblical text, this estimate is derived from historical and contextual information.
The biblical account of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus' travels to Egypt and their return to Nazareth was found in the Gospel of Matthew. Bible scholars and historians analyzed this account to estimate the duration of their stay in Egypt based on different historical and serial factors.
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What did the Holy Family do in Egypt?
More than 2000 years ago, the proclamation of Jesus as a prophet and future King of the Jews spurred King Herod of Judea to pursue his death. Forewarned by an angel, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus fled to Egypt, seeking refuge beyond Herod's reach. Their journey began in the northern Sinai, proceeding to Farama, a region that later became home to numerous churches and monasteries. At Tel Basta, Jesus' blessing brought forth a spring. In Mostorod (el Mahamaah), Mary bathed Jesus and cleansed his garments.
The family rested beneath the "Virgin Mary's Tree" in Belbeis. Miracles involving water occurred in Samanoud and Sakha. Their travels continued to the Natroun Valley, an important early center of monasticism. In Cairo, at Matariyah and Ain Shams, Jesus blessed a well. The water used by Mary to wash Jesus nurtured a balsam tree, the source of the holy Myron. They found shelter in a cave in Old Cairo, which later became the Church of Abu Serga within the Babylon fortress, a significant pilgrimage site.
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Crossing the Nile at al Maadi, they journeyed onward. At Minya, Jesus' presence imprinted a stone at Gabal Al-Kaf. Their longest sojourn, six months, was spent in Qussqam, Assiut. It was here that an angel revealed Herod's death to Joseph, prompting their return to Palestine after a three-year exile in Egypt.
When did the Holy Family return from Egypt?
Sometime after Herod's death, the Holy Family returned from Egypt after about three years. Most studies say that Herod's death date is around 4 BC.
When they learned that Herod Archelaus had succeeded his father in Judaism, they followed their way to Galilee. Archelaus was known for his cruelty and in response to public complaints, in 6 AD, he was taken off by August and exiled to Vienna in Gaul. The Galilee ruled Herod Antipas the brother of Archelaus.
Their journey back to Nazareth covered a distance of at least 170 kilometers.
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Summary
About two thousand years ago, the Virgin Mary made the way to Egypt in the company of her son, Jesus Christ, and Joseph Al-Najjar. To escape Herod, the Holy Family floated several regions of Egypt, making this historic journey a spiritual legacy that is touched by adherents of the Christian faith around the world.
Recently, the status of this global journey has become an interest of the Egyptian government, launching a tourist project called the "Holy Family Path". Through this article we recognized details and how long did Mary and Joseph stay in Egypt.
FAQs
Who were the members of the Holy Family?
The members of the Holy Family include Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph.
Why is it called Holy Family?
They lived a holy life by prioritizing God, demonstrating love and sacrifice within their family, and radiating that love to others.
What was the Holy Family's journey to Egypt?
The journey consisted of 25 sites, tracing the Holy Family's supposed 3.5-year sojourn. The route created a circuit, starting from Sinai in the east, reaching as far south as Assiut in Upper Egypt, then returning through Cairo and Sinai to the Levant.
