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in the Footsteps of the
Holy Family
8 Nights / 9 Days
6 nights in Cairo, 1 night in St. Catherine
and 1 night in Alexandria
DAY 1 - CAIRO
Upon arrival in Cairo, our representative in Egypt and
transferred to your hotel for overnight. You are in the
heart of Cairo. Take a stroll and introduce,yourself to the
friendly Egyptian Culture.
DAY 2 - CAIRO
Drive to Giza and visit the Pyramids. You may purchase a
ticket to enter the Great Pyramid.Next we tour the Sphinx
surrounded by much mystery. Continue to Memphis, and explore
the,ancient capital of Egypt. Lunch en route we continue to
Sakkara to see the first Pyramid ever built,the Step
Pyramid, Return to Cairo and to your hotel.
DAY 3 – CAIRO
Today we tour the Egyptian Museum. Gaze at the treasures
from the tomb of Tutankhamen.and much more. After lunch we
tour the Mohamad Ali Mosque and the streets of Khan el
Khalili ,Bazaar. It is the oldest bazaar in Egypt with its
thousand shops and labyrinth of street everything,is for
sale and shopping bargains can be had. Return to your hotel.
The evening is free. B&B
DAY 4 – ALEXANDRIA
Today we drive to Alexandria. On your way, visit Wadi El
Natroun,
The Holy Family at Wadi El Natroun,El-Sorian Monastery -
Wadi El Natroun
Their trail from Sakha, is recorded in the documentation of
Pope Theophilus' vision, and attested to by Coptic practice
in the Christian era. For it was to Wadi el-Natroun (Natroun
Valley) that they now came, after crossing the Rosetta
branch of the Nile to the western Delta and heading south
into Wadi el-Natroun (then called Al Asqeet) in the Western
Desert of Egypt. In the earliest decades of Christianity,
the desert expanses of Wadi el-Natroun became the site of
anchoretic settlement and, later, of many monasteries, in
spiritual commemoration of the Holy Family's passage through
the Valley.
The Holy Family at Matareya and Ain Shams
Eventually, they left the desert behind them and made their
way southwards, crossing the Nile to its eastern bank, and
heading for Matariyah and Ain Shams (ancient Heliopolis, the
site of the oldest 'university' in history called since
earliest Pharaonic times, 'On'). Both these adjacent
districts are outlying suburbs of present day Cairo, only 10
kms or so from the city center.
(Left: St. Mary's Tree - Matariyah, Cairo)
The Holy Family at Zeitoun
(Left: An icon at Virgin Mary Church - Zeitoun)
At the time of the Holy Family's arrival there, Ain Shams
was home to a large Jewish community, who had erected a
temple – the Synagogue of Unias, - for their worship. In
Matariyah, a tree still stands to this day, still regularly
visited, called "Mary's Tree", for the Family is believed to
have rested in its shade. Here, too, the Infant Jesus caused
water to flow from a spring, from which He drank and
blessed, and in which the Virgin washed His clothes. She
poured the washing water on to the ground, and from that
spot, the fragrant balsam plant blossomed: besides the
healing and pain-soothing properties of this balm, its
essence is used in the preparation of the scents and
perfumes of which the holy Chrism is composed.
Virgin Mary Church - Zeitoun
Setting out next towards Old Cairo, the Holy Family rested
for a while in Zeitoun, on their way; then proceeded along a
course which traverses what are now crowded, bustling
quarters of Cairo, within which the serene landmarks of an
earlier Coptic heritage still stand, marking the paths the
Holy Family followed. A listing of these landmarks, at this
point, may be of pertinent interest.
(Left: An icon at Virgin Mary Church - Zeitoun)
Continue to Alexandria and check into our hotel. Bed and
Breakfast.
DAY 5 - CAIRO
After breakfast, visit the Church of St. Mark. Continue to
the Catacombs, Greco-Roman
Museum and after lunch, we visit the newly opened Alexandria
Library. Continue to
Montazah Gardens Drive back to Cairo, check into the hotel.
The rest of the evening is free.,
DAY 6 – CAIRO
After breakfast, we visit Old Cairo and walk back in time,
visiting the Old Coptic Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the
Church of Abou Serga (St. Sergius) After Lunch we visit ,the
Coptic St. Mary Maadi Church. Return to the hotel. The
evening is free.
DAY 7 – ST. CATHERINE'S MONASTERY
After breakfast, we visit St. Mary Church in Zeitun and
depart Cairo for the Sinai Peninsula ,via the Suez Canal
tunnel. On route, visit Eyoun Moussa (Moses' Spring), Hamam
Pharaon, and the Church of Wadi Feiran. Arrive at St.
Catherine's and check into the hotel.
Saint Catherine's Monastery Climbing Mount Sinai
DAY 8 – SAINT CATHERINE'S MONASTERY
This morning for those who wish we climb the Mountain of
Moses, Sinai. It was on this mountain ,that Moses received
the Ten Commandments. It lies south of St. Catherine's
Monastery to ,climb to the mountain either on foot or by
camels for about 07 k.m. holding a torch batteries, reaching
the steps (700 steps) , then to the mountain peak which is
about 2200 m above sea ,level waiting for Sun Rise to take
some photos, Later we tour Saint Catherine's Monastery.
In the afternoon, we return to Cairo and our hotel.
DAY 9 –
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport
for your flight home. B.
TOUR INCLUDES:
• 8 nights accommodation with buffet breakfast daily.
• All private transfers to/from the airports.
• 7 days of touring in a luxurious, air conditioned private
car with a licensed, English-speaking guide.
• All shore excursions
3 STARS HOTELS CAIRO Guided
sightseeing, visit the Egyptian Museum, Pyramids
& Sphinx, Memphis, Sakkara, Dahshour, Red Pyramids, Citadel,
Old Cairo and Ben Ezra Synagogue
ALEXANDRIA- Guided sightseeing,
visit the Catacombs of Kom es-Shouqafa, the Greaco-Roman
Museum,
• All entrance fees as per itinerary.
• Porters at airport and hotels.
• Service and local taxes.
TOTAL PRICE IN DOUBLE OCCUPANCY $999
IF TRAVELING ALONE ADD 15% FOR SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
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Egypt, Jesus, christian pilgrimage destinations |
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