Matharea

MATHAREA, a Village six Miles from Cairo in Egypt, where they shew a Garden planted with Balm, and a Fountain, wherein ‘tis thought that the Virgin Mary washed the Linnen of the Child Jesus, all the Time that she and Joseph staid in Egypt, to avoid the Cruelty of Herod the Great.

Entering into Matharea there is to be seen a Makad, or a Turkish Oratory, built upon the Ruines of an antient Church belonging to the Egyptian Christians. In the Makad there is a little Reservoir made of Marble of several Colours, which is always full of Water that comes from a Well believed to be miraculous, which is on one Side of the Makad. It is vastly large and very deep; its Water is always clear, and excellent because of its Sweetness and Lightness. The Bachas prefer that of the Nile. From the Makad you go on to a great Garden full of beautiful Trees, Oranges, Citrons, and among others, an old Sycamore, which bears Fruit all the Year round. This Garden was heretofore quite full of the Shrub which bears the Balm, of which we have spoken elsewhere. Near the Garden there is an Obelisk standing upright, and some Remains of Building which shew, that this Place has formerly been considerable. ‘Twas here that Selim encamped, when he took Cairo, in 1518.

The Christians of the Countrey believe, that the holy Virgin dwelt sometime at Matharea with her Son Jesus; that she made Use of the Reservoir that is in the Makad, and that she put the Infant Jesus to sleep in a Nich, which is there cut into the Wall. ‘Tis for this Reason that religious Persons, who repair to this Place out of Devotion, sometimes say Mass there on a portable Altar. ‘Tis further said, that the old Sycamore in the Garden mentioned before, miraculously opened it self to receive the holy Virgin, and the Child Jesus within it, and presently closed up again to conceal them from the Pursuit made by Herod’s Soldiers after them. ‘Tis easily perceived, that this is one of those popular Traditions which deserve not any sober Enquiry or Belief. ‘Tis certain that the Tree is very old, that heretofore it has been open, and that it is only since the Year 1656, that the Part separated from its Trunk was broken off. Several of the Antients have pretended, that at the Moment that Jesus Christ entred into Egypt, all the Idols of the Countrey were overthrown¹. To this Entrance of his they apply that Isai. xix. 1.Passage of Isaiah, Behold the Lord rideth upon a swift Cloud, and shall come into Egypt, and the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at his Presence.

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