Ignatius Knoblecher

Ignatius Knoblecher (Slovene: Ignacij Knoblehar; 6 July 1819 – 13 April 1858), also known by his Arabian nickname Abuna Soliman (meaning "Our Father Solomon"), was a Slovene Roman Catholic missionary in Eastern North Africa. He was one of the first explorers of the White Nile basin.

Knoblechar was born in the small village of Škocjan in Lower Carniola. He studied at the secondary school in Rudolfswerth (now Novo Mesto), at the lyceum and the theological seminary in Laibach (now Ljubljana), and at the College of Propaganda in Rome. On 9 March 1845 he was ordained a priest, and a year later graduated as a doctor of theology.

When the Vicariate Apostolic of Sudan was established on 3 April 1846, the Congregation of Propaganda selected Knoblecher as one of the missionaries for the region. Before leaving for central Africa he spent eight months in Lebanon and at other places in Syria to acquaint himself with the rites and customs of the Oriental Christians. Towards the end of September, 1847, he left Cairo in company of Maximilian Ryllo, S.J., the Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Central Africa, and four other missionaries, and arrived at Khartoum on 11 February 1848. Here they established a school for young Africans whom they had purchased in the slave-market and who subsequently assisted them on their missions. Through them Knoblecher became acquainted with languages spoken in the interior of Africa, and was soon enabled to compile a sort of dictionary of these languages.

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