Bibles

Bibles are well known both for their spiritual value and the beautiful evolution of their various designs. I’ll leave your thoughts about the spiritual value up to you, but for people interested in the Bible as a literary work of art, here is an interesting article from brother Tadhg, featuring once again samples from the magnificent Mac an Bhaird Library.

Bibles

by Tadhg Mac an Bhaird

For those interested in Bibles as books, a little treat. The center book is a facsimile copy of a mid-15th century Gutenberg Bible – it is written in Latin in Blackletter typeface, sometimes called Gothic. On the left is a facsimile copy of the Book of Kells, a scribal manuscript of the four Gospels, written in the 8th century in Latin but using Irish script, and usually acclaimed to be “the most beautiful book in the world”. It is Ireland’s national treasure. On the right is An Bíobla Naofa – “The Holy Bible” – the only complete Bible ever published in the Irish language, in 1981. The lower photo shows samples of what is found within each. An Bíobla Naofa is opened to the Gospel of Mark. (The Mac an Bháird Library, Anoka, MN, USA)