Saint Mary’s College to Receive Reproduction of The Saint John’s Bible

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saint Mary’s College to Receive Limited Reproduction of The Saint John’s Bible
Click on above image to see a photo
gallery of the Heritage Edition of
The Saint John's Bible.

Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
(574) 284-4579

August 13, 2010 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Saint Mary’s College will be the proud recipient of a rare Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible. On Wednesday, August 25, the Bible will be presented to Saint Mary's College and blessed at the Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, the annual liturgy marking the opening of the academic year at the all-women’s Catholic college. The Mass will take place at 11 a.m. in the 1,300-seat O’Laughlin Auditorium to accommodate the attendance of the College community and invited guests. Classes will be cancelled between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. so that students and faculty may attend.

The closest locations to South Bend that have a reproduction of The Saint John's Bible are Marquette University in Milwaukee and John Carroll University in Cleveland.

“It is an honor to receive the Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible,” said President Carol Ann Mooney of the seven-volume manuscript. “Saint Mary’s is proud to be among the few educational, religious, art and cultural centers around the world, including the Vatican, to be presented one of just 299 copies of this fine work. It is with sincere gratitude that we accept this gift from Saint Mary’s alumna and friend of the College, Judy Rauenhorst Mahoney (’74).”

The Saint John’s Bible is a hand-calligraphied, hand-illuminated Bible that has taken a team of scribes and artists more than a decade to complete. It features 160 vibrant illuminations that include a blending of religious imagery from various traditions, cultures and creeds, as well visuals from modern time. The illumination of a manuscript is a centuries-old practice where gold leaf is used to accent brightly colored illustrations. The intended effect is the gold, which reflects off the page, paired with the sacred word “reflects” God’s presence.

The Heritage Edition is a full-size, fine art reproduction of The Saint John’s Bible. The Bible is monumental in size. If all seven volumes were stacked on top of each other, the Bible would stand two feet tall. When opened, the two-page spread is three-feet wide. Producing The Saint John’s Bible was itself monumental. It began in 1998, when Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota commissioned world-renowned calligrapher and illuminator Donald Jackson to lead the project. It is the first hand-calligraphied, hand-illuminated Bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in 500 years. No project of this kind has been undertaken since the advent of the printing press in the 15th century.

The Saint John’s Bible was produced on calfskin vellum, using hand-cut goose quills and paints made from hand-ground precious minerals and stone. Silver, copper and 24-karat gold leaf embellish the illuminations. The pages in the Heritage Edition are archival quality 100% cotton paper. A subtle show-through effect of text and illustration mimics the translucency of the original’s vellum pages. Gold and silver foils, meanwhile, replicate the luster of the embellishments in the original work.

The Saint John’s Bible is on permanent exhibit at Saint John’s University. The Heritage Editions are intended to allow a larger audience to see and be inspired by this unique presentation of the Word of God. “Because the mission of The Saint John’s Bible is to ignite the spiritual imagination of people around the world, Saint John’s is thrilled that Saint Mary’s plans to share these beautiful volumes with students and staff for generations to come,” said Abbot John Klassen, OSB, of Saint John's Abbey.

Saint Mary’s College’s Heritage Edition will be on permanent display at the Cushwa-Leighton Library. One volume of the Bible at a time will sit open, under glass, on the top of a cabinet handcrafted by monastic woodworkers at Saint John’s Abbey. The other volumes will be housed in individual drawers in the cabinet. To showcase the beauty of the Bible’s artwork and calligraphy, a librarian will trade out the volume on display and open it to readings appropriate to the liturgical season. 

“I was really inspired by The Saint John’s Bible project and, out of love for Saint Mary’s, I thought of the College right away and how students could be influenced by it,” Mahoney said of her gift. The Bible combines the Minneapolis resident’s love for art and books. “I came to Saint Mary’s to study art but changed my major to humanistic studies where we studied Christian culture and read a lot of books. The essence of Christian culture is the Bible. This is a combination of a good book and an art masterpiece and I hope the College and South Bend communities enjoy the Heritage Edition for years to come.”

During the Mass, four of the Bible’s seven volumes--Pentateuch, Psalms, Prophets, Wisdom Books--will be displayed and blessed. The College will receive the three subsequent volumes--Gospels and Acts, Historical Books, and Letters and Revelation--as they are completed.

The celebrant of the Mass will be the Rev. Kenneth M. Molinaro, CSC, assistant provincial of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Indiana Province, and a member of the Saint Mary's College Board of Trustees. Con-celebrating will be Abbot Klassen, along with the Rev. Eric Hollas, OSB, and the Rev. John Pearson, CSC. Mahoney will serve as a lector.

Public viewing information: The public is invited to view the Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible at the Cushwa-Leighton Library at Saint Mary’s College. For library hours, click here. To arrange a field trip or group viewing of the Bible, contact librarian Bob Hohl by email or (574) 284-5287.

About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the nation's top 100 liberal arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 annual survey. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.