"Where the Holy Family rested on Egypt's sacred trail, a village named for the Mother of God"
Church of the Virgin Mary, Daqadus
Mit Ghamr City, Ad Dakahliya, Egypt
In the Nile Delta village of Daqadus, a Coptic church marks where the Holy Family rested during their flight into Egypt. The village name itself derives from Theotokos, meaning Mother of God. Here, pilgrims drink from a well blessed by the presence of the infant Jesus, connecting to a tradition of veneration that has continued for nearly two thousand years.
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Quick Facts
Location
Mit Ghamr City, Ad Dakahliya, Egypt
Tradition
Site Type
Coordinates
30.7283, 31.2636
Last Updated
Jan 12, 2026
Learn More
A 12th-century documented site on the Holy Family Trail, with a current church built in 1881 on the foundations of earlier structures.
Origin Story
According to Coptic tradition, the Holy Family fled from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape King Herod's Massacre of the Innocents. After passing through Mostorod, Belbeis, and Zagazig, they arrived at Daqadus. Here they rested for several days before crossing the Nile to Samannoud, where the local population received them with kindness and hospitality. The well from which they drank became blessed, and pilgrims continue to seek its baraka to this day.
Key Figures
Pope Michael V
The 71st Coptic Patriarch (1145-1146 CE), born in Daqadus
Pope Cyril IV
The 'Father of Reform' (1853-1862 CE)
Muhammad Metwalli al-Sha'rawi
Islamic scholar (1911-1998 CE), born in Daqadus
Spiritual Lineage
The church belongs to the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, within the Diocese of Dakahlia. The site is recognized as part of the Holy Family Trail by both the Vatican (2017) and UNESCO (2022).
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