Deir el-Garnus

Deir means "monastery" and el-Garnus comes from an older name of the village Arganus (Arabic: أرجنوس‎), which probably comes from Ancient Greek: ὄργανος, lit. 'water-machine, saqiyyah'[3] and refers to the ancient Nilometer in the village. In some texts the monastery is called Pei-Isous (Coptic: ⲡⲏⲓ ⲓⲥⲟⲩⲥ), Beyt Isus or Deir Bisus (Arabic: دير بيسوس), all meaning "house of Jesus".[1]

The modern village developed from a monastery visited by the Holy Family during their Flight into Egypt on their way to Hermopolis. The legend says that Jesus dug a well with water that cured every disease. It was also believed to foretell the height of the annual Nile's inundation. The church of the Holy Virgin was built on a site of this well in the 6th century (now ruined, the modern church was built around 1870, but the remains of the old church are still present),[4] and the festival was held on the 25th of Pashons to predict the Nile's flooding. Another festival attended by thousands of pilgrims is celebrated on 15th and 16th of Mesori.[5]