Virgilio Canio Corbo

Virgilio Canio Corbo (1918, in Avigliano – December 6, 1991 in Capernaum) was an Italian Franciscan Friar and professor of archaeology at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem.

While at Al-Qubeiba, he became interested in the work of archaeologist and fellow Franciscan Bellarmino Bagatti, and made some experimental excavations in the village.

In expanding his investigations to other monastic ruins, and through literary sources was able to identify the monastery of St. Theodore at Bir el Qutt.

Father Corbo was responsible for organizing the Terra Sancta pavilion at the exhibition of missionary art for the 1950 Holy Year.

[1] From 1950 to 1955, Corbo was director of the magazine La Terra Santa, and in 1951 was put in charge of the restoration of a number of shrines administered by CTS.

[4] In the modern chapel presbytery, built to protect the site and provide worship space, remnants of mosaic floors from different periods can be seen.