Rascal Chuck and the Holy Family?

        This is my idea and not Chuck's. Seeing the place where the Holy Family stayed centuries ago is not his idea. In all honesty, I'm not even sure if he knows who the Holy Family is. Chuck has never been to church and never meowed a prayer. He probably doesn't have a religious bone in his cat body.

        Still it's hard to pass up opportunities when they fall in your lap. Dan and I are in Cairo, Egypt, visiting the Hanging Church and very, very nearby is the Saint Sergius and Bacchus Church. Which means nothing to most people but if you know your history, you know that you are about to walk into a place where Mary and Joseph and the infant Jesus most likely, most probably stayed when they needed to find refuge from King Herod's decree--called the Massacre or Slaughter of the Innocents. Herod ordered the massacre/slaughter of all male children who were two years or younger and lived in the vicinity of Bethlehem. (He'd heard the prophesy that Jesus was coming.) Bingo. That's all Joseph needed to hear. He left Israel and came to Egypt.

        "Should we even bring Chucky into this Church?" I ask. 

        "I'll keep him in my backpack." 

        It sounds like a good plan. Of course, we have to explain where we're going so we give the rascal cat the shortened version of the story that brings us here. Important people. You don't know them. They stayed here. Many years ago. In fact, Joseph is believed to have worked at the Babylon fortress, an Ancient Roman fortress built around 30 BC. while they were here. 

        Babylon, at that time, was a town of some importance, we tell Chucky, as we are entering the Church. But he's already midway to a catnap.  Frankly, I'm relieved. The last thing I want is for him to do something crazy. Not in this church. Please.

        We learn that Babylon was the headquarters of three legions of soldiers who insured that Egypt stay under Rome's control.

       We learn that the Church is dedicated to Sergius and Bacchus, soldier-saints martyred during the 4th century in Syria. 

        Inside the Church is the crypt where the Holy Family rested, which I'm most anxious to see. We put the backpack with Chuck in a pew in the corner. Chucky is still napping. His eyes are closed. So far so good. 

    

  

    

    The crypt is ten meters deep. I stare at it for a long time.

        There is only one more thing to see. The well that the Holy Family drank from.

        

       I can hardly believe I'm here. I look around and frankly don't know what I expect to see. Perhaps, a vision? I know that's a bit ridiculous, but just the idea that Joseph and Mary and Jesus, who I've heard about all my life, were actually here in this very spot is unnerving. 

        I'm amazed that other people around me are walking around like they're in Burger King or something. Some are laughing. Pointing. Missing the significance? Is my faith deeper than I suspected?

        Rascal Chuck, for the first time, behaves like a very normal cat. He could have jumped into the well, for example. Or he could have made a scene in the crypt. But he causes no trouble. Outside the Church, when we're in the van, going back to the hotel, we give him a handful of his favorite treats--those chicken flavored Temptations. As a reward.

        Then we're worried. Is he sick? It's not like Chuck to be so well behaved. But he's munching away and purring so our fears are laid to rest. Maybe, he does know after all, that we were in a very special place. 

        No sense getting on His bad side!