CHEIKHO, LUIGI. - Celebrated Arabist, Jesuit. B. at Mardin in Turkey on 4 Feb. 1859, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1874 and d. at Beirut on 7 Dec. 1927.
In 1882 he began publishing the Fiori della letteratura, selected passages from Arabic writings in six volumes, some of which saw as many as 30 editions. This collection was also adopted by many Muslim schools. He established the Oriental library at Beirut, of which he was director for many years, and which he enriched with no fewer than 3,000 Arabic manuscripts. In 1898 he began publication of the Arabic journal al-Mafrīq. In 1902 he became chancellor of the Oriental faculty of the University of S. Giuseppe at Beirut. His activity was devoted above all to bringing out the importance of Christian Arabic literature, chiefly its poetry.
Principal works: Le christianisme et la littérature chrétienne en Arabie avant l'Islam (2 vols., Beirut 1912-23); Vingt traités théologiques d'auteurs arabes chrétiens, IXe-XIIIe siècles (ibid. 1920, in Arabic). Guglielmo De Vries.