AFRICA/EGYPT - Egyptian Politicians: let us give value to the "Way of the Holy Family" to relaunch tourism

Friday, 23 September 2016 oriental churches pilgrimages economy

fuocosacro.com

EGYPT

2023-06-27
Further delays regarding the new law on the personal status of Christians

2023-06-09
For health reasons: Patriarch Tawadros suspends public audiences

2023-05-04
Love in Christ, study, dialogue, prayer: the "four steps" of Pope Tawadros is to rediscover unity among divided Christians

2023-01-14
Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II: homosexuality contradicts God's plan and the Bible

2022-12-07
A "starred" cooking school for the children of the "Oasis of Mercy" Home

2022-09-17
The case of little Shenuda reopens the debate on the law regarding the personal status of Christians

Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - The economic crisis that is affecting Egypt calls upon all communities of Egyptian-born emigrants around the world. Among the resources on which to focus there is also that of promoting tourism, undermined also by terrorist attacks and sectarian violence, focusing not only on the Pyramids and resorts on the Red Sea, but also on the pilgrimage along the "Way of the Holy Family" the route to the places that according to ancient traditions are places Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus walked during their exile in the land of Egypt.
The idea was relaunched last Tuesday, September 20, from the United States, during the Economic Conference of New Jersey, organized by the American Coptic Association. The meeting, along with many representatives of the Coptic diaspora in the US, was attended by 24 members of the Egyptian Parliament, who pledged their political and institutional commitment to facilitate the concrete implementation of the "Holy Family Project" and make Egypt a pilgrimage site to be proposed especially to Christians around the world. According to supporters of the initiative, the tourist development of the "Way of the Holy Family" could increase the annual share of tourists in Egypt by at least one million units, with pilgrimages concentrated especially at Christmas time.
The appeal to take care of itineraries that follow the path carried out by the Holy Family during their exile in Egypt reappears periodically in the initiatives aimed at expanding the tourism sector of the Egyptian economy. Already two years ago (see Fides 21/10/2014) the ideal path of the pilgrimage on the footsteps of the Holy family in Egypt had been identified, which should start from the town of Al-Arish in northern Sinai, then head to the delta and Wadi Natrun, and reach Assiut and the Monastery of the Virgin Mary, known as the Monastery of Al-Muharraq. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 23/09/2016)