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==Mari Mina site==
St [[Menas|Mina]] is a Coptic saint that was martyred in the fourth century. A great Cathedral was erected at his burial site in Maryout at the western desert of Egypt west to Alexandria. Many faithful from all round the Mediterranian used to visit the site and a flourishing community was in that area for centuries till the Arab invasion of Egypt when the Arabs destroyed the church. A German archeologist, Kuffman, carried out excavations in the site at the beginning of the 20th century, starting in 1905. Pahor resumed these excavations in 1951. The site then was in the middle of the desert and was difficult to reach. Pope Cyril VI founded a monastery near the site and this monastery is one of the main surviving monasteries in Egypt. There are now roads up to the monastery and the area has many cultivated fields.
==Tel Atrib==
Dr Labib managed to turn the Coptic Museum into a Mecca for Coptic studies. A great momentum that helped in this direction was the formation of an international committee of the most renowned Coptologists in the world to translate and study the Nag Hammadi Coptic Gnostic Papyri. This library is considered one of the two major discoveries in the 20th century that contributed to Biblical studies, the other being the Dead Sea Scrolls.
==Christian pilgrimage in Egypt==
A government committee for promoting Christian pilgrimage was established during Naser’s time. This committee was chaired by Bishop Samuel and Dr Pahor Labib was a member. During this period stamps showing Chrisitan sites such as St Mary’s Tree at Mattaryya where it is reputed that the holy Family rested during their travels in Egypt. Other stamps of Christian sites and Coptic exhibits were issued.
==External link==