06-02-2025
'Maria's Heap' hosts traditional biannual celebration
'Blessed be Egypt my People,' is the theme title of a celebration at Kom Maria, literally 'Maria's Heap', held by the Doicese of Mallawi on 2 February at Deir Abu-Hinnis in Mallawi, Minya, some 320km south of Cairo.
The celebration is traditionally held twice every year, once in early February to commemorate the biblical killing of all children in Bethlehem under the age of two. The gospel of Matthew cites the story in its second chapter, relating how Herod the King ordered their killing in hopes of ridding himself of the Christ Child who was prophesied to be king of Israel.
The second time in the year the celebration is held is in July to commemorate the entry of the Holy Family into Egypt when they fled the face of Herod who had planned to kill the Child Jesus.
Even though the Coptic Church celebrates the first event on 11 January, and the second on 1 June every year, Anba Demetrious, Bishop of Mallawi, Ansena, and Ashmounin, decided to postpone the Kom Maria ceremonies until later dates when school children are on holiday, for them and their parents to join.
Participating in this February celebration was Anba Demetrius, Metropolitan of Mallawi; Anba Qozman, Bishop of North Sinai; Anba Michael, Bishop of Helwan; and Anba Axios, Bishop of Mansoura; as well as senior government officials, politicians, Muslim clergy, public figures, and media representatives, amidst thousands of the public, both Muslim and Christian.
The celebration started with traditional Nile feluccas sailing from the towns and villages of the eastern bank of the Nile to its western, mostly desert bank, their sails adorned with images of the Holy Family in Egypt. They carried Metropolitan Demetrius and his guests, as well as many from the public, and characters depicting the Holy Family in Egypt.
As the guests disembarked on the western bank, they formed a procession of chanting deacons, choirs, and church scout teams that led the bishops priests, and guests on a walk of some 1.5km, passing through the village of Deir Abu-Hinnis, to reach Kim Maria. On both sides of the road, the villagers lined up to greet the procession.
At Kom Maria, a marquee was set up to seat guests. The event started with Thanksgiving Prayer, and featured theatrical scenes depicting the Holy Virgin and Her Child with St Joseph; artistic and musical activities in the Coptic language, a march in which deacons and children participated while raising the Egyptian flag; and a scouting show. Some 3d-models of President Sisi, Pope Tawadros, and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, had been hung to reflect Egyptian national unity.
During the celebration, a video describing a tourism project planned for the region of Kom Maria was screened. The project is planned by Mallawi Diocese to bring the spot to light, within a wider national project to introduce to the world the spots trodden by the Holy Family on its flight into Egypt as sites of religious and cultural tourism.
Anba Demetrius expressed his gratitude and appreciation to all attendees, and sent his greetings to President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, praying to God to preserve Egypt to always remain a land of security and safety.
+Holy Family here+
Some two millennia ago Kom Maria hosted the Holy Family—Mary, Joseph and the Child Jesus—for one day during their journey through the land of Egypt as they escaped Herod the King. Herod, fearing that the child would grow and take his throne to become the prophetic King of the Jews, had wished to kill Him. The gospel of St Matthew says that the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to: 'Arise, take the young child and His mother and flee into Egypt, and be thou there till I bring thee word.' And so it was that the Holy Family entered Egypt and sojourned in various locations throughout its land for more than three years, according to tradition.
Mallawi in the Minya Governorate includes four areas that were visited by the Holy Family: Ashmounin, Bir al-Sahaba, Dairut Umm Nakhla, and Kom Maria. Comments
comments Tags: Kom MariaMetropolitan Demetrius Mallawi EgyptNader Shukry
