The Holy Family crossed the Nile branch (Damietta branch) from Minyat Sanmoud to reach the current city of Samanoud, which is now located in the north-east of Gharbia Governorate, on the banks of the Damietta branch, about 8 kilometers from the city of al-Mahalla al-Kubra.
It is an ancient city from the Pharaonic eras and Sanmoud means (the mother of the gods), as it was famous in the past for making the gods. It was the capital of Egypt during the era of the Pharaonic 30th dynasty. In the Coptic era, its name was called (Gemnoty), then (Samanoud) in Arabic.
Anba Zacharias’ sermon about the Holy Family mentioned that the people of Sanmoud welcomed the Holy Family and often the Holy Family spent several days in the hospitality of the people of the city.
The Lord Christ blessed the people of the city and He said to the Virgin: “there will be a great church in my name and your name in this place.” Then, from Samanoud the Holy Family went on to continue their journey to the middle of the delta.
The local tradition of the church mentions that the Virgin Mary was sharing with the people of the city, kneading with them in a basin, and drinking from the water of a well, both of which are still present today in Sanmoud.
Then, in Christian eras, a church was built in the name of the Virgin Mary, in memory of her blessed visit to Samanoud.
