Prophesies about Egypt
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                                            Fr.Tadros Y. Malaty          
 

"The burden against Egypt. Behold, the  LORD rides on  a swift cloud, and will
come into Egypt; the idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart
of Egypt will  melt in its midst" [Isaiah  19:1]. This prophesy  was fulfilled
when the   Holy Family entered   Egypt.   With  this entrance,  Egypt's  idols
collapsed forever.  Since this  time, Egypt and  its faithful  Christians were
blessed, fulfilling Isaiah's prophesy, "Then the LORD will be  known to Egypt,
and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day, and  will make sacrifice and
offering; yes, they will make a vow to the LORD and perform it" [Isaiah 19:21]
and also "In that day there will be an altar to the  LORD in the  midst of the
land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its  border" [Isaiah 19:19]. Today,
in the middle of Egypt the monastery of St.  Mary (a.k.a.  El-MoHarrak) stands
(in the middle of Egypt) witness to the fulfillment of this  prophesy. In that
monastery, the Holy Family stayed for about six months as we learned from Pope
Theophilos,  the twenty third  patriarch of Alexandria, who  was   told of the
details of the Holy Family's journey in a vision. The "pillar in the border of
it" speaks of St.  Mark who  preached in Egypt starting  from Alexandria -- at
Egypt's northern border.

God blessed  Egypt since the  beginning  of time. Firstly  He  made it  as the
paradise, "like  the garden  of the LORD,  like  the   land of Egypt" [Genesis
13:10]. Secondly,  He  blessed it  as it  welcomed many  fathers    of the Old
Testament. For example, Egypt welcomed Abraham and Sara (see [Genesis 12:10]),
and Jacob  and his family (see [Genesis  39:50]).  Egypt also  welcomed  other
prophets like Jeremiah. Even the Lord Jesus Christ Himself chose  Egypt  to be
the spiritual equivalent   of Golgotha during  the first  Passover "... Egypt,
where also  our Lord was  crucified"  [Revelation 11:8]. Amazingly,  Egypt was
mentioned in the Holy Bible approximately 600 times, second  only to Jerusalem
(Egypt: 595 times, Egyptian(s): 120 times).

The Holy Family dwelt throughout Egypt, from  the north to  the south and from
the east to the west. Today we know of about thirty three  blessed areas where
the Holy Family dwelt. Lastly, St. Mary herself blessed Egypt again with daily
appearances in her church in Zaitoon, Cairo to express her love to the country
that welcomed her. She intercedes on our behalf to her Son and her God, and He
answers her: "Blessed is Egypt my people" [Isaiah 19:25].

Copts,  being hosts of  the Holy Family,  follow  the verse  "You shall not be
afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,  Nor of the
pestilence that walks in  darkness, Nor of  the destruction that lays waste at
noonday [Psalms 91:5-6], for the  Lord is our  shelter as our  land  sheltered
Him.  When He came in the past, our forefathers welcomed Him. Now He knocks at
the gates of our hearts, "Behold, I stand  at  the  door and knock.  If anyone
hears My voice and opens the door, I will come  in to  him and  dine with him,
and he with Me" [Revelation 3:20].