#ME #Egypt – Reports of bright lights and white doves circling a large statue of the Virgin Mary at a monastery in Upper Egypt sent many believers into a state of excitement during annual religious celebrations in mid-August 2026.
The phenomenon was observed at the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Dronka, in Assiut Governorate, during the Fast of the Virgin Mary, a major 15-day period of prayer and pilgrimage that typically runs from early to mid-August in the Coptic calendar. Visitors shared videos and photographs showing luminous light near the prominent bronze statue—one of the largest of the Virgin Mary in Egypt—along with one or more white doves appearing to circle or hover in the area. Some accounts also described moving luminous masses in the sky.
The circulating footage sparked widespread discussion among Coptic Christians and others online and on the ground. Crowds already present for the festivities, which routinely draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to the site regarded as the final stop of the Holy Family’s journey in Egypt, reacted with fervour. Many interpreted the scene as a possible spiritual sign.
A church source told the Egyptian outlet Masrawy that the Coptic Orthodox Church was following established procedures by forming a special committee to investigate the reported events. The committee was tasked with examining the circulating images, videos, and witness accounts to determine the nature of the phenomenon and whether any further official steps were warranted. Some on-site observers described simply seeing a dove and light, urging caution against immediately labelling it a confirmed apparition.
The Dronka monastery, elevated on a mountain and featuring a cave church linked to tradition, hosted processions including the well-known “Queen’s Procession” of icons, along with enhanced security and logistical measures to manage the large influx of visitors from across Egypt and beyond. Local authorities noted the celebrations also served to promote religious tourism along the Holy Family route.
This episode echoed earlier reports of Marian phenomena in Egypt, such as the widely documented 1968–1971 apparitions at Zeitoun in Cairo, which involved luminous figures and dove-like forms, and similar accounts from Assiut in 2000 and Warraq in 2009. In those cases, lights and birds frequently featured in eyewitness descriptions, drawing both Christian and Muslim observers, with the Church conducting formal inquiries.
As of late August 2026, no official church declaration recognizing a supernatural event had been issued. The investigation remained underway, and descriptions continued to center on the observed lights and doves near the statue during the height of the annual celebrations.
Cover Image: Statue of the Virgin Mary at the Assiut monastery in Egypt.
