Christian tradition says that after Jesus was born, his parents fled with him to Egypt to escape death. Eventually they returned to their home in what was then known as the kingdom of Judea, and one of their last stops in Egypt was said to be at a cave in the Dronka mountains. Thousands of devotees of the Virgin Mary travel to the Virgin Mary Monastery near Assiut, Egypt every August to show their devotion to the holy family. Christian children are baptized and adults hope for blessings.
Egypt's Christians and Muslims Show Devotion to Virgin Mary
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A priest in the monastery of Virgin Mary is baptizing small children during a ceremony while parents are filming the process. Sunday, August 18, 2019.
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Coptic parents are buying new clothes for just baptized small children; boys dress as bishops while girls dress like brides. Sunday, August 18, 2019.
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Older children get a cross tattoo on their right hand as a cultural obligation for Coptic Christians in Egypt. Sunday, August 18, 2019.
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The Monastery of Virgin Mary in Assiut is expanding every year, this year, the Monastery has opened air-conditioned halls for pilgrims to rest. Sunday, August 18, 2019.