Every August, tens of thousands of Egypt’s Coptic Christians and Egyptian Muslims take buses and trains to the Virgin Mary Monastery in Assiut. This year, Muslims were banned from attending the event by the Egyptian authorities. The monastery is believed to have been visited by the Holy family when they fled Israel out of fear of persecution by King Herod.
Devotion to Mary in Assiut, Egypt
1
Teams help check people coming to attend the event of Virgin Mary at the Dronka mountain foot in Assiut, Egypt, August 20, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
2
Coptic participants camp at the monastery of Virgin Mary waiting for the event to start in Assiut, Egypt, August 20, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
3
Coptic pilgrims come to the Virgin Mary monastery with animals to slaughter in Assiut, Egypt, August 20, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
4
Coptics chant for the holy family in Arabic saying “Hero, Hero, Virgin Mary is the mother of the hero,” in Assiut, Egypt, August 20, 2017. (H. Elrasam/VOA)