Rare Bible presented to JCU

A few of the hand-drawn illustrations that will appear in the St. John’s Bible are shown above.

A handmade bible will be presented to JCU on April 13. Read more about this special gift to the community.

John Carroll University is only days away from receiving a rare gift from northern Minnesota, and it’s not more cold weather.

The gift will come from St. John’s University and St. John’s Benedictine Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., which has produced the first handmade and illuminated Bible in over 500 years.

This Bible will fill over 1,150 pages with handcrafted writings and drawings that depict the “old” Bible with a twist of modern-day religion.

The Bible has seven volumes, including the Pentateuch and Revelation. This Bible will not only attract and bring meaning to Christians exclusively, but also illustrate the story of human history for all.

According to JCU’s Website, the Bible “incorporates imagery from Eastern and Western religions and from Native American cultures…As a monumental work of art, [it] will speak, in words and pictures, to people of all faiths.”

This newest edition of the Bible will speak directly to the mission of JCU and enhance the experiences of its students as it promotes engaging those around them and around the world. This rare gift will offer a unique opportunity, especially to students interested in religion and art.

A reproduction of the first volume, “Wisdom,” will be presented to the JCU community on April 13.

According to Tonya Strong-Charles, director of media relations for JCU, the University will be receiving high-quality facsimiles of the remaining six volumes as they are completed.

A team of scribes, artists and theologians, under calligrapher and illuminator Donald Jackson, have worked on this since 1998 when the planning began.

The first words copied into this version of the Bible were transcribed on Ash Wednesday 2000.

However, the work was completed this year to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the founding of Saint John’s Abbey.

The Bible was constructed in a scriptorium in Wales. It was not produced on paper, but pages made of calfskin. Likewise, the words were not written with a pen and the art was not done with purchased paint and brushes.

Instead, homemade quills were made from feathers, and colors pigments were made by hand grinding special minerals and stones.

This gift to JCU was made possible through a generous donation by Target in honor of retired Target Executive Vice President John Pellegrene,
Pellegrene was a member of the JCU Class of 1958.

There will not be more than 12 of these high quality reproductions made, each its own edition, so it is an honor for JCU to be home to one of them.

The one that will call JCU home is titled the Prophet Edition.

Pope Benedict XVI will be presented with another reproduction of this rare gift on April 4.