Director General of Research and Archaeological Studies in Sinai Abdel Rahman Rehan said that Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed's visit to Vatican City to promote for the route of the Holy Family in Egypt as a main pilgrimage destination revives the holy journey to Egypt.

Egypt should capitalize on this historic achievement to link between the old holy journey the starts from Europe and the route of the holy family from Sinai till Asyut in Upper Egypt, the archaeologist said in statements to MENA on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Tourism Minister Yehia Rashed left for Vatican City to hand over a letter from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to the Vatican Pope Francis. 

Rashed will hold talks with Vatican officials on means of activating religious tourism in Egypt, particularly with regard to the route of the Holy Family journey in Egypt.

The visit is a part of his ministry's effort to re-enlist the route of the Holy Family in Egypt on the map of religious tourism.

During his visit, Rashed is set to attend a mass led by the pontiff to bless the route of the Holy Family in Egypt to bless the icon of the holy family's flight into Egypt and declare it as one of the Christian pilgrimage journeys.

Reviving the Holy Family's route in Egypt involves eight spots where the family stopped which is to help in activating tourism in these areas.

Source: MENA