March 25, 2011
‘The Saint John’s Bible’
Newburgh parishioner’s reproduction is on display during Lent
Myles Towne and pastoral associate Lynda Provence stand behind a display which includes Myles’ reproduction of “The Saint John's Bible” which is on display during Lent at St. John the Baptist Church in Newburgh. (Message photo by Mary Ann Hughes) Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Twenty years ago, Myles Towne and his wife, Ruth, moved to Newburgh and joined St. John the Baptist Church there. He found the parish to be both welcoming and friendly. “We really love the parish,” he said.
So when the parish asked to borrow one of his treasures, Myles said “sure.”
He owns a full-color reproduction of one of the sections of “The Saint John’s Bible,” and the parish wanted to put it on display in the church during Lent.
The original bible was commissioned by St. John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minn., and was executed by calligrapher Donald Jackson, the senior scribe to Queen Elizabeth II’s Crown Office, and a collaborative team of scribes and artists in Wales.
It was the first illuminated, handwritten bible of monumental size — 24 1/2 inches by 15 7/8 inches — to be commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in 500 years.
The planning and the work began in 1998 for the seven volumes which are expected to be completed this year. The work has been done in Wales, but the volumes will be housed on the campus at St. John’s.
Craftsmen, under Jackson’s direction, use traditional materials such as vellum (calfskin), ancient inks, gold and silver leaf and platinum. They use quill pens fashioned from goose, turkey and swan feathers.
The seven volumes include the Pentateuch, which has the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; the Historical Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees; Psalms; the Wisdom Books including Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach; the books of the Prophets including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentation-Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel-Amos, Obadiah-Haggai and Zachariah-Malachi; the four Gospels and the Book of Acts; and the Letters and the Book of Revelation.
As each section is completed, full-color reproduction books have been made available for purchase.
Myles was not familiar with the project when his cousin arrived for a visit in Newburgh. “My cousin lives in Minnesota, and we entertained them for a week. He brought the bible along as a gift.”
It featured the four Gospels and the Books of Acts. As Myles and his wife looked at their gift, he thought “as soon as I saw it — that’s a treasure.”
It reminded him of a visit to Ireland when he saw the “Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript containing the four Gospels. It was created by Celtic monks around the year 800, and is regarded as Ireland’s finest national treasure.
Myles, who proudly says he’s “seventy-five percent” Irish, said “The Saint John’s Bible” has been referred to as a modern “Book of Kells.”
Lynda Provence is a pastoral associate in Newburgh. She first heard about “The Saint John’s Bible” at a National Catholic Educational Association conference. When she heard that a copy of the bible was at Our Lady of Grace, a Benedictine monastery in Beech Grove, Ind., a trip was organized to see it.
Then she heard that Myles had a copy of the bible, and he was asked if the parish could display it in church during Lent.
Benedictine Sister Jeanne Voges is also a pastoral associate in Newburgh, and a member of the Beech Grove community. She said parishioners will “come up and spend time looking at it,” adding, “It’s a treasure.”
Myles has enjoyed his copy of “The Saint John’s Bible” so much that he’s thinking about purchasing the Pentateuch volume.
“It looks interesting to me,” he said.
For additional information about “The Saint John’s Bible,” visit the website at www.saintstjohnsbible.org or call 800-858-5450.