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Pope Gabriel VI

Pope Gabriel VI was the ninety-first patriarch of the See of Saint Mark (1466–1475), formerly a monk and superior of the Monastery of Saint Antony.[^1][^2]

Also known as: Gabriel VI · Gabriel al-‘Arabawi · Ibn Qatta‘ al-‘Usfur · Gabriel VI of Alexandria

Published 10/2/2026Updated 3 revisionsPage history

Early Life and Monastic Service

Gabriel VI was the ninety-first patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, serving from 1466 to 1475.1 He was born at al-‘Arabah al-Madfunah, from which he received the name al-‘Arabawi, and was also surnamed Ibn Qatta‘ al-‘Usfur. He became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Antony (Dayr Anba Antuniyus) and later served as its superior.2

Patriarchate

Following the death of Matthew II, Gabriel was chosen as pope of Alexandria on 9 February 1466. He established his residence at the Church of Our Lady in Harit Zuwaylah, Cairo, which was then the patriarchal seat.3

Little is known of his life.4

Canonical Answers and Manuscript Attribution

Two manuscripts in the library of the Coptic patriarchate in Cairo preserve canonical answers concerning marriage and the service of the altar. The questions came from various people, probably bishops, and were described as collected in the cell of the patriarch “Ghubriyal al-Farbawi”; this name is interpreted as al-‘Arabawi.5

The manuscripts are Theology 294, an eighteenth-century Egyptian copy, and Theology 295, dated 22 Abib A.M. 1549, given in the source as 16/27 July 1743.6

Their attribution has differed: the canonical answers have been assigned to Gabriel VII, whereas they are associated with Gabriel VI and the attribution to Gabriel VII is regarded as mistaken.7

Death and Burial

Gabriel died on 15 December 1475 and was buried at Dayr al-Khandaq, in the Church of Anba Ruways in Cairo. He was one of four patriarchs buried in that church.4

References

Sources

  1. 1.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
    GABRIEL VI, ninety-first patriarch of the See of Saint Mark (1466-1475).
  2. 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
    Gabriel was born at al-‘Arabah al-Madfunah and consequently was called al-‘Arabawi. He was surnamed Ibn Qatta‘ al-‘Usfur. He became a monk in the DAYR ANBA ANTUNIYUS and later was its superior.
  3. 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
    After MATTHEW II died Gabriel was chosen to be the pope of Alexandria on 9 February 1466. He then settled himself at the Church of Our Lady at HARIT ZUWAYLAH in Cairo, which had been the patriarchal seat from the reign of JOHN IX (1320) until about 1670.
  4. 4.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
    Little is known of his life. He died on 15 December 1475 and was buried at DAYR AL-KHANDAQ, in the Church of ANBA RUWAYS in Cairo. According to O. Meinardus (1965), he was one of four patriarchs buried in that church (cf. Kamil, 1943, 1954).
  5. 5.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
    However, one must consider two manuscripts in the library of the Coptic patriarchate of Cairo. These record canonical answers on marriage and the service of the altar to questions asked by various people, probably bishops. The questions were "collected in the cell of the patriarch Ghubriyal al-Farbawi" (Graf, 1934). This last name should no doubt be read al-‘Arabawi.
  6. 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
    The two Cairene manuscripts are: Theology 294 (Egypt, eighteenth century), fols. 50b-86b (Simaykah, 1942, no. 541/1; Graf, 1934, no. 439/10); Theology 295, dated 22 Abib A.M. 1549 16/27 July A.D. 1743, approximately fols. 54-90 (Simaykah, 1942, no. 394/1; Graf, 1934, no. 443/1).
  7. 7.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
    These canonical answers are mentioned by Graf (1951, Vol. 4) but are mistakenly attributed to Gabriel VII (1525-1568) by Murqus Simaykah and Yassa ‘Abd al-Masih.

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