IQLADIYUS LABIB (1873-1918)

He was born in the village of Mir, which is located near the famous Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary (Dayr al-Muharraq). His visits to that monastery may have motivated him to be interested in the Coptic language. Pope Cyril V made the patriarchal library of manuscripts in Cairo available to him. Labib insisted on speaking Coptic with his family.

He encouraged the laity to use Coptic as a spoken language. He published a Coptic grammar, a number of Coptic biblical texts, and some liturgical books of the Coptic Church. His most valuable contribution to Coptic studies is a Copto-Arabic dictionary.

GAWDAT GABRA