Virgin Mary appeared in a luminous image and still appears from time to time in this blessed monastery, where people find calamity, comfort, peace and joy.
Virgin Mary emphasized the importance of this monastery and blessed it by appearing in it and transfiguring it in a luminous manner. It is reported that when a veiled Muslim woman was walking near the church, she saw the Virgin standing on the roof of the church, walking between the two minarets, so she imagined that she was a woman trying to commit suicide or trying to take off the cross that was fixed on the beacon, so she hurried to inform the officials immediately.
On August 17, 2000, during the fasting of the Virgin, the beginning of her appearance was when dazzling lights shone in the Church of St. Mark in Assiut (the old archdiocese), which is a few kilometers from the cave in Mount Assiut (Monastery of Drunka). These lights sometimes shone on the beacons and on the crosses located above them, and sometimes they cover the entire church, and sometimes they illuminate the streets surrounding the church with dazzling lights whose source is unknown. On many nights, they remain shining at close intervals throughout the night until the beginning of dawn. A large luminous dove appears as well, within a luminous cloud above the church area and lasts for several minutes.
Also Flocks of large luminous pigeons appear, amidst the cheers, hymns and prayers of thousands of people who flock to the church from all over Egypt and the world.
Watani newspaper published on Sunday 22 October 2000 AD corresponding to 12 Bab 1717 St al-Sunnah 42 – Issue 2026, where it stated: It was accompanied by the appearance of the Virgin Mary with many strange phenomena, such as white lights like snow above the domes and between the beacons, with thick incense with a beautiful smell, and the release of spiritual forms such as strong pigeons the speed.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III affirms in his homily on Wednesday, November 22, 2000 A.D. that this miraculous apparition in this way in the Church of St. Mark the Apostle in Assiut supports the view that the Holy Family, on its way back, passed by the cave located on Mount Assiut (Monastery of Dranka) near this place and blessed it This place is blessed.
