Monday August 19, After staying for more than six months in a cavern, now Muharraq Monastery, Saint Joseph was told in a dream to go back to Palestine. Herod, who was pursuing the family, had died. The page of that pursuit was turned, and Christ could finally return home. The family departed from Qusqam Mountain, where Muharraq Monastery is located, arriving at a nearby cavern, and continued until they reached Dronka Monastery, where we saw simple people praying for children and healing.
From Upper Egypt, they left to the North, blessing the Nile, which had kept their secret and the land that had protected them from their fears. On every stop in the journey, churches and monasteries were to be built, celebrations were to be held and prayers were to be written down. In this land, Christ treaded, and the Virgin wiped his tears. Thousands of stories would be told and millions of tales would be recited about this extraordinary family, which left behind a legacy of never-ending benevolence.
We could see the mountain on the horizon, looking as if it were ready to tell the rest of the story. Above it, we could see cemeteries of Christian Copts who had passed away.
They were lovers of the Virgin Mary, who wanted to be buried near the place where she had lived. We could see crosses carved on rocks, domes parallel to the top of the mountain and military checkpoints run by army officers experienced in guarding deserts. We crossed the first gate, then parked on the left-hand side of the road and went up a paved road on foot. It was a high mountain and a long distance taken on foot only for the love of the Lady of Light.
We could hear the hymns glorifying Virgin Mary: They had gathered for a weekend spiritual journey. They spent their nights in those small rooms along the sides of Cave Mountain, praying and worshiping for days before the start of the new academic year. The church bells rang, which announced mass at 7 am every day. The sound is preceded by the voices of monks reciting the Bible, filling the air with solemnity and awe. Students prepared to enter the church.
