Continued 👇🏾
✍🏾The Journey Through Egypt and Ethiopia
Tradition teaches that the Virgin Mary remained in exile for three years and six months (forty-two months). When she fled from Herod, she first traveled from Galilee to the border of Syria (Debre Libanos).
When Saint Gigar, who had hidden them, was put to death by Herod, the Holy Virgin went down into Egypt. remaining there for a long time and moving from place to place. She passed through barren wildernesses and remote deserts.
Later, she entered the northern part of Ethiopia, arriving at Debre Bizen (present-day Eritrea). From there she blessed Debre Damo, Aksum, Debre Abay, Waldba, and reached Lake Tana. She stayed especially at Tana Kirkos for one hundred days. She then traveled to Gojam, blessing Debre Libanos, Debre wegeg, and Debre Hazelo. Regions she did not reach on foot she blessed by cloud and vision. She received Ethiopia as a tithe together with her beloved Son.
Tradition states that it was here in Ethiopia that the angel Gabriel announced to her the death of Herod.
The Mother of Light entered Debre qusquam carrying food and gifts brought by the people of our land (the land of Ophir) on five camels, and there she rested joyfully with Joseph and Salome. Four hundred years after the persecution of Christ, on this same day, the mountain of Debre qusquam in Egypt was built and sanctified as a dwelling-place of saints.
It is also said that around the year 390, our Lord Jesus Christ descended upon Debre Kusquam with His Virgin Mother, the holy apostles, thousands of angels, the righteous, and the martyrs. At that time, the Patriarch of Alexandria, Saint Theophilos, together with the great Saint Cyril, built the church, gathered the faithful, and protected it. The Lord then sanctified the place and filled it with joy.
✍🏾This day is a day of great joy for all Christians, so let us rejoice. The Lord of heaven and earth, who endured persecution for our sake, returned from exile on this day. If we remember her suffering and feel sorrow, we must also remember her return and rejoice.
May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always.
May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us.
Amen.
© John's Repentance
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