The allure of the saint

From the first centuries of Late Antiquity, the cult of the saints engulfed the biblical lands in a dense network of churches and shrines. Egypt was considered a part of the biblical lands through its association with biblical heroes like Moses and Joseph and from the fifth century onwards, towns and villages began to associate themselves with the flight of the Holy Family. The archaeological remains of the White Monastery are best described as comprising several isolated clusters of architectural remains set within a sea of sand and debris and framed by the modern monastery. The prolonged use of the church structure has resulted in a complete removal of all internal components of the tomb as well as of the church itself. This means that only parts of the architectural layout remain to indicate what ritual practices took place at the site.