EMMANUEL - Egypt Diary

EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Father Phil's Trip to Egypt

November 12: Greetings to all and hello from Luxor! We have left Cairo and are getting ready to see King Tut's mummy in the Valley of the Tombs of the Kings tomorrow. We have seen tremendous sights but are happy to leave Cairo behind for a quieter environment. All are well but tired from early morning risings (3 am today and 4 am tomorrow0. Weather is great, Egyptians truly very friendly, and most all are doing just great! we are looking forward to seeing the ancient Coptic Christian churches in Old Cairo when we return there at end of trip. Hope you all and Fr. Hancock are doing well. Please continue all your "safe travel" prayers for us. So far they are working great! Peace to all, Phil+

November 9: Hello everyone. Arrived safely at JFK airport in New York City after an unevenful (but cramped) Delta flight from Sacramento via Salt Lake City. NYC is cold and breezey...not suitable for clothing for Cairo! Have met up with group friends who flew in from Reno and had delightful dinner last night in the Italian quarter of Queens-Jamaica....a very authentic place, good food, where everyone spoke the native language. JFK looks like it's larger than Nevada County. A plane lands right over the top of us every 5 minutes...so close you can almost wave to the passengers! We have some relaxation time today before taking off for Cairo at 6 pm tonight New York time. Everyone is reading up on Egypt..I have six books along including the history of the Coptic Christian Church in Egypt....very ancient church that began very shortly after Christ's death. They have a very sacred and legendary oral tradition of the places and miracles of the infant Jesus and Joseph and Mary as they sojourned in Egypt after fleeing Herod. Hope to visit some of the sights. So far all is well and everyone excitedly anticipating Egypt. Blessings to all....please keep up your "safe travel" intercessions! Shalom, Phil+

Here's a modern day icon of the Holy Family in Egypt. The Egyptian Coptic Christians have a very rich oral and written tradition of the journey of the Holy Family in Egypt after they fled Herod's massacre of the Innocents. We saw ancient monasteries, convents, and churches in Old Cairo. I brought back information and pictures of these very time-honored stories to share at the Daughters of the King Quiet Day, Saturday, December 8....much will follow to help us define, understand, expand, and appreciate the Christian faith as it is now and as it has existed for centuries. In God's Peace, Phil+