Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Dronka

Marian vocation of Dronka (Asiut) (Asiut (Upper Egypt))
Recognized by the Church

It is a national Marian monastery and great sanctuary, located in Dronka, near Asiut, in Upper Egypt, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It belongs to the Orthodox Coptic Church, with a strong presence of Catholic pilgrims. According to the Egyptian Christian tradition, in this place the Holy Family would have been refugee during its stay in Upper Egypt, using the caves of the Dronka mountain as a shelter. No detailed historical documentation is available outside this tradition.

Main data

Origin and history

It is a national Marian monastery and great sanctuary, located in Dronka, near Asiut, in Upper Egypt, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It belongs to the Orthodox Coptic Church, with a strong presence of Catholic pilgrims. According to the Egyptian Christian tradition, in this place the Holy Family would have been refugee during its stay in Upper Egypt, using the caves of the Dronka mountain as a shelter. No detailed historical documentation is available outside this tradition.

The image and the sanctuary

It is one of the largest Marian pilgrimage centers in Egypt. Many devotees and testimonies of graces attributed to the intercession of the Virgin are mentioned in the field of popular devotion rather than documented canonical processes.

Sponsorship and coronation

It is not available.

Party and devotion

The Feast of the Sleeping or Assumption of the Virgin (August 15) is celebrated here with crowds, especially in August. It is part of the Sagrada Familia Route and attracts many pilgrims.

Link to the Rosary

The pilgrimage to this Marian sanctuary is besieged by the Rosary, a traveling prayer of the Christian people who walk with Mary. To meditate on its mysteries in this place of refuge of the Holy Family is to entrust the Mother with her own needs, as do the pilgrims who come here.