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Diana75 Says: Near the Virgin Mary's Tree, on the right side of the road, is a small chapel. The wooden doors are not isolating the inside and even if these are closed you can still admire the fresco presenting the Holy Family resting under the tree.Beside this there are some other...
Diana75 Says: These are one of my favorite pictures from Al Matariyah.I love the image of this minaret seen from Mary's tree, above the small buildings around the place.
Diana75 Says: Behind the small chapel with the Holy Family fresco is a one-room building housing a religious exhibition.This exhibition is displaying pictures of the most important Christian sites in Egypt, maps and ancient objects found on those places.
Diana75 Says: The so-called "Mary's Tree" is located in the center of the site. From the entrance it is impossible to see it, but once you pass the Jesus well it draws your entire attention.It is said that the Holy Family found shade under a sycamore tree in Al Matariyah. After bathing...
Diana75 Says: The Jesus well is located on the left side of the road leading to Mary's tree.It is said that the Infant Jesus caused water to flow from a spring.After that, He drank this water and blessed it.
Diana75 Says: The statue presenting the Virgin Mary is placed in a small niche on the wall just near the entrance to the site.This is in fact the first thing that attracts your attention when entering Al Matariyah.
The Holy Family representation
Diana75 Says: I particularly liked the upper part of the wall surrounding Al Matariyah site.Made of wrought iron, this is a wonderful representation of the Holy Family.What I have noticed in Egypt, especially when you visit the Christian sites, is that there are a lot of representations...
Diana75 Says: The impression that I have now thinking back to my visit to Al Matariyah is that is a poor place. The houses looked even poorer than in other parts of Cairo.But just entering Al Matariyah site you seem to enter into another world. Although a quite narrow place, everything...
Diana75 Says: Al Matariyah is about 10 km away from Cairo and can be easily reached by buses and subway.As we were an organized group accompanied by an Egyptian tour guide it was pretty easy to do the visit although at a certain moment on our way to Al Matariyah a police patrol joined us....
heed the warnings of 5th century pilgrims!
halikowski Says: EPILOGUE (cf. VIII. 151)The dangers of journeying to the desertsIn many other parts of Egypt we came across holy men of God of great virtue doing marvellous things, totally filled with the grace of God. We have only mentioned a few of them. To describe them all would be...
Diana75 Says: Although quite discreet, this police patrol joined our bus on our way to Belbeis and accompanied us from there to Mostorod and Al Matariyah.We had no problem, but we've been told that this is a mandatory protections measure for tourist visiting the Christian sites located in...
Diana75 Says: Numerous representations of the Holy Family journey in Egypt can be found all over the place.The first one is presenting the Holy Family in Al Matariyah taking water from the Jesus well, while the others are presenting the Holy Family during the journey in Egypt.
Diana75 Says: This colorful mosaic presenting St. George killing the dragon is located on the left wall in Al Matariyah shortly after passing the Mary's tree.
Diana75 Says: I've been pretty impressed about the rich vegetation inside Al Matariyah site. Interesting trees in full blossom, colorful flowers, green cactuses...It was quite contrasting to the lack of vegetation around the site.
Plan a Al Matariyah vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Al Matariyah locals
The Jesus well is located on the left side of the road leading to Mary's tree.It is said that the Infant Jesus caused water to flow from a spring.After that, He...
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The Holy Family journey in Egypt: Al Matariyah
"Take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt" (Matthew 2:13)
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Matarea, site of the flight of the Holy Family
Actually, I have written an article about this place, published in the Mediterranean History Review. In the Middle Ages, this small garden was so famous that all Christian pilgrims on what Wade...
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The Obelisk of Ancient Heliopolis
The obelisk is not easy to find - although it has an entrance fee and guards posted at the site there were no tourists in the entire area the day we were here. We took a taxi from present-day...
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