The holy family passed by Al-Matareya area, they sat under a tree, and they needed water. The child started playing with his feet on the ground, so a spring of water appeared , and they drank from it, then the Virgin washed the child’s clothes, then poured the used water on the ground, in that spot an aromatic plant with a beautiful aroma sprouted and grew, this plant is known as balsam or elderberry.
Historians tell something funny about this tree, and they say: That the French soldiers after they had defeated the Turkish armies in the battle of Ain Shams, they walked on their way to the tree of Mary and wrote on their branches their names using their swords, and some of them recovered from their eyes’ diseases and various diseases after they washed themselves with the water of the well, and recorded their thanks to God for the good that they had received with the blessing of Mary’s tree and the water of the well.
