The Saint John's Bible


The Saint John’s Bible is the first completely handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine Abbey since the invention of the printing press.
Beginning in 1970, master calligrapher Donald Jackson expressed in media interviews his lifelong dream of creating an illuminated Bible. Following a Saint John’s University-sponsored calligraphy presentation at the Newberry Library in Chicago in 1995, Jackson discussed a handwritten Bible with Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB, former executive director of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Between 1996 and 1997, Saint John’s explored the feasibility of the Bible project, Jackson created first samples, and theologians developed the illumination schema. The Saint John’s Bible was officially commissioned in 1998 and funding opportunities were launched. The public was introduced to the project in 1999 and production was completed in 2011, with the final word penned in May 2011 and touch-up work completed by December 2011.
The Saint John’s Bible is divided into seven volumes and is two feet tall by three feet wide when open. The Bible is made of vellum, with 160 illuminations. The version of the Bible used is the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. A copy of the Bible has been presented to the Pope at the Vatican in several volumes, with the final volume being presented on 17 April 2015.
The scriptorium of The Saint John’s Bible is located in Monmouth, Wales.

Mission

"At the onset of a new millennium, Saint John’s University and the monks of Saint John’s Abbey sought to ignite the spiritual imagination of people throughout the world by commissioning a work of art that illuminates the world today."

Techniques

Donald Jackson, official scribe to Her Majesty's Crown Office at the House of Lords, created a new script specifically for this project.
The creators of The Saint John’s Bible used a mixture of techniques used in the creation of ancient illuminated manuscripts and modern technology.

Volumes

The Saint John’s Bible consists of seven volumes:
  1. Gospels and Acts : 25+ illuminations, including opening illuminations to each gospel
  2. Pentateuch : Illuminated text from the first 5 books of the Old Testament
  3. Psalms : Illuminations include the digital voice prints of songs from various ethnicities/religious backgrounds
  4. Prophets : Includes Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Micah, Amos, Daniel, Zechariah, and Baruch
  5. Wisdom Books : Includes Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Job, Wisdom, and Sirach
  6. Historical Books : Largest page count, 25+ illuminations, includes Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Judith, Esther, Ruth, Tobit, 1st and 2nd Maccabees
  7. Letters and Revelation

    The Committee on Illumination and Text

During production, a team of scholars and theologians gathered weekly to develop the theological content behind the illuminations. This included not only developing the schema for the illuminations, but also identifying underlying themes and elements for the artists to incorporate. The Committee on Illuminations and Text met in Collegeville, Minnesota, while much of the artwork was produced in Wales, resulting in a transatlantic collaboration as drafts were passed between the two groups. Michael Patella OSB, chair of the Committee on Illumination and Text, explained the underlying purpose of their work: "The illuminations are not illustrations. They are spiritual meditations on a text. It is a very Benedictine approach to Scriptures.”

The Heritage Edition

The Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible is the full-size fine art reproduction of the original. Measuring two feet tall by three feet wide when open, it is the exact size of the original manuscript. Each volume of the Heritage Edition is signed by the chief scribe and illuminator, Donald Jackson. The edition is limited to 299 signed and numbered seven-volume sets and contains the same volumes as the original. Many of the illuminations are touched-up by hand, including the burnishing of gold leaf. In addition, an eighth volume of commentary that places The Saint John’s Bible in its historical context and describes several of the illuminations will accompany the volumes.
Institutions and individuals around the world have acquired approximately 100 of the 299 available sets of the Heritage Edition. The Heritage Edition can be viewed by the public at locations in the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the Irish Republic.

Trade Edition

The Trade Edition of The Saint John’s Bible are smaller, printed copies of the seven volumes available for purchase. They are roughly the size of coffee table books, measuring 10" x 15.2".

Seeing the Word

In collaboration with , curriculum has been developed that aims to educate people on The Saint John’s Bible and its underlying goal of igniting the spiritual imagination. Seeing the Word, co-produced by , is a collection of resources promoting meditation on the Scripture and illuminations through the prayer process of visio divina.

Other recently produced handwritten/illuminated Bibles

Early in the marketing campaign, the commission responsible for The Saint John’s Bible made the claim that it would be the first handwritten Bible in 500 years to the best of their knowledge. The commission was then made aware that several other Bibles had been completed within the time frame, and in Spring 2004, the phrase “commissioned by a Benedictine Monastery” was added to the advertising and official website. At least one other privately illuminated manuscript, reproducing selections from the Bible - the Pepper Bible - preceded The Saint John’s Bible in this timeframe.

''The Saint John’s Bible'' staff

Editor, Seeing the Word: Barbara Sutton