Hugging the desert's edge, the family soon arrived at the slopes of Mount Qusqam, their most hallowed stop. It was here that at last an angel told Joseph that Herod was dead and that it was safe to return North. The holy ground here is encircled by a fortress-like monastery known as Al-Muharraq. Considered a "Second Bethlehem" by Coptic Christians, the site is believed to have hosted the family for six months, far longer than any other stop on the route.
