Pope Tawadros II has inaugurated the first phase of the Kom Maria project in Mallawi, Minya, adding a new pilgrimage and heritage destination to Egypt’s historic Holy Family Trail.
The Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark opened the first phase alongside Minya Governor Emad Kedwani during his visit to the Diocese of Mallawi, Ansena and Ashmunein.
Kom Maria Joins Egypt’s Holy Family Trail
Kom Maria is one of several locations in the Mallawi area traditionally associated with the Holy Family’s journey through Egypt.
According to the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Holy Family’s route through the region included Ashmunein, Deirout Umm Nakhla, Beir El-Sahaba in Ansena and Kom Maria. The family is traditionally believed to have remained in the wider Mallawi area for more than three months.
The roughly 20-feddan site, located beneath Minya’s eastern mountain, has long hosted religious celebrations connected to the Holy Family tradition and is now being developed into a larger religious and cultural tourism destination.
What Does the Kom Maria Project Include?
The Kom Maria development has been designed to preserve much of the natural landscape while creating spaces that tell the story of the Holy Family’s journey.
Plans for the site include landscaped green areas and water features, with a central waterway designed to evoke the Nile and its Delta. A structure at the highest point of the site is also planned to contain life-sized representations of the Holy Family resting during their journey.
The project aims to combine religious pilgrimage with historical and cultural tourism, creating a destination for both Egyptian and international visitors interested in the Holy Family’s route through Egypt.
A New Religious Tourism Destination in Minya
The opening is part of broader efforts to revive and develop sites associated with the Holy Family Trail in Egypt, expanding the country’s tourism offering beyond its ancient Egyptian monuments.
Minya already holds an important position on the trail due to the number of locations traditionally connected to the Holy Family’s stay in Upper Egypt.
Pope Tawadros described the Kom Maria development as a long-awaited project and said its completion represents an important addition to Minya and to Egypt’s Christian heritage.
Pope Tawadros II Visits Minya
The inauguration took place during Pope Tawadros II’s visit to the Diocese of Mallawi, Ansena and Ashmunein, which coincided with celebrations marking the golden jubilee of the diocese’s re-establishment.
The opening ceremony was attended by Minya Governor Emad Kedwani, Bishop Demetrius of Mallawi, Ashmunein and Ansena, clergy members and residents from the surrounding area.
At the ceremony, Pope Tawadros and the governor unveiled a commemorative plaque marking the inauguration of the project’s first phase.
Egypt Continues Developing the Holy Family Trail
Egypt has been restoring and promoting locations traditionally associated with the Holy Family’s journey as part of a wider religious tourism initiative.
The trail stretches across several Egyptian governorates and connects churches, monasteries and historical locations linked by Christian tradition to the journey of the Virgin Mary, Jesus and Joseph through Egypt.
The opening of Kom Maria’s first phase gives Minya another major destination within that network and is expected to strengthen the governorate’s position on Egypt’s religious and cultural tourism map.
