The Exodus of Saint Mary and Lord Jesus Christ
Blessed Virgin Mary, in the presence of the old man Joseph and her aunt Salome, fled to Egypt as well as Ethiopia during the apostasy era. Joseph, who had been commanded to protect her, was shocked to see that her appearance sometimes turned red like a rose, and at other times it turned white like a pomegranate. He was would her “Mary” to make sure she was. Explaining this mystery, Saint John Chrysostom said, “I did not know her in any way because she looked like a rose and a pomegranate.” Thus, the Church has reminded us of the time of the monthly prayer for the praise of our Lady in a flower. According to the teachings of our Holy Church, the period from October 6 to November 16 is called the month of Tsige (Tsige / Flower Month) for it’s a time which Flowers blossom in the moonlight and bear, the flower representing Saint Mary and the fruit, being the symbol of Lord Jesus.
In scripted in “Miracles of Holy Virgin Mary,” when the days were accomplished that she should delivered, the old Joseph search a place to rest and, after much effort, he found a stable of the cattle. Our Lady gave birth to our Lord Jesus Christ in a stable. She wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a barn.
When our Lord Jesus was two years old, Herod wants to kill the child so an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him, “Arise, take the mother and the child, and flee into Egypt.” Our lady went with her son to Egypt (Matthew 2: 13).
Saint Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem in 5 B.C. before the birth of Jesus Christ along with Salome, the disciple. The family moved to Egypt after Joseph was told in a dream to flee to Egypt to escape the command of Herod the Great, to slaughter children in and around Bethlehem. They reached Egypt after a 65 kilometers journey where they lived for three years until after the death of Herod in 4 B.C. when Joseph had a dream that it is safe to return to Israel.
All Eastern and Western sources agreed on that the means of transportation that carried Virgin Saint Mary and her son was a donkey, while Joseph tagged along according to the Eastern traditions. This picture was not strange in the Bible, since the Exodus described the return of the Prophet Moses from the country of the Midianites to Egypt.
While traveling through the desert of Egypt, Our Lady went to the house of Teman. When the mistress saw her, she said, “Where are you from? She asked. “I am a refugee from the land of Judah,” she replied. “I thought you were stubborn. With your stubbornness, you will left your home; a beautiful woman like you walks from hall to hall, but she does not leave the country and wander from country to country. ”
Then, Elder Joseph said, “If there is a beggar, they will give it to him. If not, you send him with good wish. But, you something that stings like an arrow piercing your heart, What is the matter with you? ” The baby Jesus then wept. Our Lady as similar wept; when she tried to pick him up, Joseph said, “Stop that! May his divinity be revealed” In an instant, earth was opened and Taman and her maid, Cotiba, drowned. About six months later, the Blessed Virgin Mary, along with her son, Joseph, and Salome, stayed in that same house. Then they kept on travelling through the dessert so that baby Jesus child could be protected from carnage.
While traveling through the desert, they met by two robbers, Titus and Damachus. They stripped off Saint Mary and Lord Jesus clothes and took them away. As the robbers decided what to do next, our lady cried, thinking they were going to kill her son. However, Titus’ grew love and compassion for them and so he said, “I feel sad for these people! “Let’s leave them alone, for there is no reason for them to come here,” he replied. He also helped them to continue their journey. (Chronicles of Uriel)
They then travelled to Ethiopia where the Ethiopians embraced them with love and welcomed them. Some have even moved out of their homes for their dwellings. Many have come to believe in the image of our Lord, who is said to be the most handsome of all human beings. The compassion and love shown to our Lord by the bandits in the wilderness was different. But, they had faced some enemies along. Our Lady rejoiced in the kindness and love of Ethiopians for our Lord protected Ethiopia through the intercession of Our Lady; He gave it as a tithe. He blessed the Ethiopian and Egyptian monasteries for those who were for His love, and He established other monasteries.
Our Lady lived in exile with her son in Egypt for three years and six months. After King Herod died, an angel of God appeared in a dream and said: Take the baby and his mother and return to the land of Israel. ” Elder Joseph returned to Israel with our Lady and her Son Jesus. (Ethiopian synaxarium, May)
The Ethiopian Orthodox Incarnation Church acknowledges their exodus by fasting the season. Ethiopians Christians faithfully devotes in praying, fasting and other generous activities in memory of the exodus of the Holy Family and their hardship in the wilderness. They feed the needy, the travelers and provide them in the name of Holy Mother.
At this time, we commemorate the hospitality of Ethiopian mothers and fathers when our Lady Mary, came to Ethiopia. The fasting is performed on one’s free will for it is not amongst the seven officials fasting, many fast it for abundant blessings one expects from God through the intercession of Saint Mary.
May the intercession of Saint Mary be with us all!