Deir el-Garnus

Deir el-Garnus is a village in Upper Egypt near Maghagha. It is located in Minya Governorate on the shore of Bahr Yussef and has a predominantly Coptic Christian population of 6,504 people.

Etymology

Deir means "monastery" and el-Garnus comes from an older name of the village Arganus, which probably comes from and refers to the ancient Nilometer in the village. In some texts the monastery is called Pei-Isous, Beyt Isus or Deir Bisus, all meaning "house of Jesus".

History

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, 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.