The Church of the Virgin Mary in Maadi, on the east bank of the Nile about 13 km south of central Cairo, marks the place where, by Coptic tradition, the Holy Family boarded a boat to sail south into Upper Egypt during their flight from King Herod.
History
A church has stood here since the Middle Ages, and the present building has been restored many times. It is also known as al-Adawiya, after the old name of the area, which means “the crossing place”. Steps lead from the church down to the river where the boat is said to have left.
St Virgin Mary ChurchThe Bible on the water
In March 1976, the church says, a Bible was found floating on the Nile below it, open at the verse of Isaiah: “Blessed be Egypt my people” (Isaiah 19:25). The book is kept in the church and shown to visitors.
Visiting
The church is a working place of worship, so dress modestly and be quiet during services. It is a stop on our spiritual tours following the path of the Holy Family in Egypt.
