The Saint John’s Bible
Shared Worldwide
Three Gifting Events of the Rare, Fine Art Reproduction Include Pope
Benedict XVI
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) March 28, 2008 --
It’s been nearly a decade since Donald Jackson
embarked on the calligrapher’s Sistine Chapel:
the handwritten, illuminated Saint
John’s Bible. Now, through the Heritage
Program, individuals and artistic, religious and cultural
institutions can experience and share the only full size, limited
edition, signed and numbered reproductions of this extraordinary
manuscript.
“Ever since the genesis of this project, we
had imagined creating a limited edition, fine art reproduction of The
Saint John’s Bible as our gift to the
world,” said Br. Dietrich Reinhart, OSB,
president of Saint John’s University. “This
dream has come true with the release of the first reproduction of the
seven volumes, Wisdom Books.”
To ensure faithful representation of the original manuscript, Jackson,
the artistic director of The Saint John’s
Bible, has been intensely involved in the reproduction, along with
the world’s finest printing experts and
binders. Each of the 1,150 pages and 160 illuminations will be
scrupulously compared to its original counterpart to guarantee accurate
reproduction. The Wisdom Books volume is approximately 25 inches high by
16.25 inches wide and weighs about 20 pounds.
“The same devoted team of calligraphers,
illuminators, craftspeople and illustrators who brought The Saint John’s
Bible to life is now capturing the spirit of the original and
putting it into a printed form through the Heritage Program,”
said Jackson. “But, there becomes a point
when it stops being an imitation of the original and becomes a work of
art in its own right.”
Beautifully bound, the editions within the Heritage Program are offered
in the same seven volumes as the original. A special eighth volume of
commentary will accompany each set, presenting the inspiration for the
illuminations and a guide to understanding their imagery.
Extraordinary manuscripts are priceless and unique, permanently held by
museums and libraries, unavailable to private collectors. But the
artistry of Donald Jackson and his team is available to private
collectors and institutions in the form of different reproductions of
volumes of The Saint John’s Bible –
all part of The Saint John’s Bible
Heritage Program.
These volumes make the perfect capstone for a collection of fine art or
books. They’re a wonderful gift from
individuals or groups to their church or synagogue. Likewise, the
Heritage Program is a superb addition to any college, university or
seminary library, reminding all who see the volumes of the long history
of both Bible and book, and of their eternal significance.
“Our family has been involved with The
Saint John’s Bible since its inception 10
years ago. It is a strikingly beautiful work of art and one of the most
remarkable and historic undertakings of our time,”
said Gene Frey, Minneapolis and Naples resident. “Given
our family’s interest in the arts, we have
asked Saint John’s to donate a Heritage
Edition of The Saint John’s Bible
to the Naples Museum of Art for its permanent collection so that people
from southwest Florida and beyond may see and enjoy its beauty for
generations to come.”
Limited to 360 full sets, each will be numbered and include a
certificate of authenticity. The Heritage Program includes the Heritage
Edition sets – a full set and a five volume
set – currently available for subscription in
pre-publication for $115,000. In addition, the program includes three
enhanced editions – Apostles, Prophets and
Patriarchs – each for a different sponsorship
level. For additional information, or to purchase, or gift a
reproduction, visit www.HeritageEdition.com.
Proceeds from the sales of The Saint John’s
Bible Heritage Program will fund student scholarships, the
continuing preservation of endangered medieval manuscripts worldwide, a
permanent home for The Saint John’s Bible
and scholarly work related to this monumental masterpiece.
Sharing The Saint John’s Bible
Worldwide
In April 2008, Saint John’s University and
Abbey will present a fine art reproduction of The Saint John’s
Bible to Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Harry Flynn (St. Paul, Minn.)
and John Carroll University (Cleveland, Ohio).
-
On Friday, April 4, the St. Peter Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s
Bible will be presented to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, by the
Papal Foundation through the generosity of the Gerald and Henrietta
Rauenhorst Foundation.
[EDITOR’S
NOTE]: This presentation will take place
two weeks prior to Pope Benedict XVI’s first
visit to the United States April 15-20, 2008. Please note for your files.
-
On Saturday, April 12, the Prophets Edition of The Saint John’s
Bible will be presented to John Carroll University from Saint John’s
University. The gift is made possible through a donation by Target in
honor of John Pellegrene, a retired Target executive and member of
John Carroll’s class of 1958, and a
long-time supporter of The Saint John’s
Bible.
-
On Thursday, April 24, the Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s
Bible will be presented to Archbishop Harry Flynn, from Saint John’s
University and Abbey. The presentation will take place as part of a
ceremony at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Paul. The gift was
made possible through the generosity of the Eugene and Mary Frey
Family Foundation.
About The Saint John’s Bible
The Saint John’s Bible is the first
handwritten, illuminated Bible commissioned since the advent of the
printing press. It was commissioned in 1998 by the Benedictine monks of
Saint John’s Abbey and University to ignite
the spiritual imagination of believers throughout the world and to
illuminate the Word of God for a new millennium.
The Saint John’s Bible is being
created by a team of scribes, artists and craftspeople in a scriptorium
in Wales under the artistic direction of Donald Jackson, one of the world’s
foremost calligraphers and the Scribe to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s
Crown Office at the House of Lords in London, England.
The Saint John’s Bible is truly a
monumental manuscript at more than 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide when
open. Its construction parallels that of its medieval predecessors,
written on vellum, using quills, natural handmade inks, hand-ground
pigments and gold leaf while incorporating modern themes, images and
technology of the 21st century. The creation of the Bible continues the
Benedictine tradition of copying and caring for sacred texts.
This 1,150-page Bible will be created in seven distinct volumes: Pentateuch,
Historical Books, Psalms, Prophets, Wisdom Books,
Gospels and Acts, Letters and Revelation. Upon completion,
it will reside at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library on the Saint John’s
campus. For additional information, please visit www.saintjohnsbible.org.
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