The recognized ecclesiastical books of the Coptic Church and the old books (documented in their authenticity) that dealt with the Holy Family were unanimously agreed, and researchers almost unanimously agreed that the Holy Family, after it had migrated from Jerusalem to Egypt and moved between several countries and villages, landed in Qusqam and has indicated Studies have shown that the foot of Mount Qusqam was at that time, a desert inhabited by no one at all, except that there was an abandoned house and its roof made of palm fronds and it was located on the slope of a wide eastern plateau, and outside it from the north side there is a water well.
And when the Holy Family resorted to this house, by divine measure, they rested in it after the trouble and hardship of traveling. She stayed in it for a period of time in calm and contentment in the simplicity of life and modesty of the situation, managing its necessities with divine care. The water from the well increased in abundance and became good and sweet to drink despite its drying for a long time. Joseph also made repairs to the building of the house.. At the top was an upper room in which the Virgin Mary stayed with her beloved son. At that time, there was a cave in the mountain near this house, to which the Virgin Mary went with her beloved child sometimes.
Yossi’s story
Meanwhile, a man called Yossi (or Joshua) or (Moses in some manuscripts) from the tribe of Judah came to them. This man had heard that Herod sent ten of his soldiers to search for the baby Jesus in Egypt. With divine guidance, this man rushed to Egypt to warn the Holy Family of this, when he miraculously reached Qusqam after suffering and hardship. He told them what Herod had ordered, and the Virgin was very upset, as were both Joseph and Salome, but the Lord God assured them that nothing would happen to them, so Yossi’s mission ended with this, and was buried by Joseph at the entrance to the threshold of the house (and after that the monks inherited generation after generation that the place Tomb of Yossi in the western tribal side of the ancient church).
The Holy Family remained in this house and rested there until an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up and take the boy and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who were seeking the same boy have died” (Matthew 2:19, 20). And before their departure, the Lord blessed this place as a holy blessing, because it was a shelter and comfort for them in their sojourn.
This event was in the year 4 BC. AD, and according to the Egyptian and Roman (Julian) calendar prevailing at the time, they arrived at Qasqam on the night of 7 Baramouda, corresponding to Monday April 2nd, and left during the daytime on 6 Baba corresponding to Wednesday October 3rd, i.e. they stayed 185 days. [Taking into account when calculating the number of days – as that year was simple – the 7th of Baramouda and the 6th of Baba as days of stay in Qusqam].
