Document Type : Research Articles
Authors
1
Tourism Guidence, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, minia University, Egypt
2
Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Minia University, Minia , Egypt.
3
Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
4
Tourism Studies Department, Faculty of tourism and Hotels, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
Abstract
The history of Saint Demiana Monastery in Belqas, Dakahlia Governorate, dates back to the fourth century AD. The church of St. Demiana was rebuilt and inaugurated on 12th of Bashans (May 20, 744 AD), and her body was buried with the forty virgins. Currently, the monastery includes seven churches. St. Demiana was martyred by the soldiers of Diocletian on 13th of Tuba (January 21), as the Egyptian churches celebrate this occasion on this day every year. The main celebration of the saint’s Mawlid is hold during the period from May 10-20 (2-12 Bashans), the consecration anniversary of St. Demiana’s Church.
The research presents an account of the popular and religious celebrations associated with Saint Demiana, in addition to a detailed picture of such these practices that are in relation to the consecration of St. Demiana’s Church at Belqas as a case study.
The main objective of this research is shedding lights on the folks' beliefs and practices of St. Demiana’s celebration as intangible cultural heritage resources, along with putting the monastery on the religious cultural tourism map of Egypt. Moreover, the researcher designed a tourist itinerary including the monastery and its celebrations, and other nearby archaeological, cultural and tourist attractions, such as the Church of the Virgin Mary and Martyr Abanoub in Samanoud, Gharbia Governorate, which will contribute greatly to creating a tourism attraction in the center of the Delta region.
Keywords
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