Handcrafted St. John’s bible comes to Duluth

The handcrafted Saint John’s Bible is coming to Duluth for free public viewing Feb. 28-March 1 as part of a broader experience including lectures and an ecumenical worship service.

The event, called “A New Heaven and a New Earth: Experiencing the Saint John’s Bible,” is sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery and the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Duluth, in honor of the College of St. Scholastica’s centennial celebration. Founded in 1912, the college is celebrating its 100th year throughout 2012.

The handwritten, hand-illuminated Saint John’s Bible was created by a group of the finest book artists and calligraphers in the world under the direction of Donald Jackson in his scriptorium in Wales. The work is divided into seven volumes. The first volume was finished in 2002. The concluding volume, Letters and Revelations, was completed in May and presented to the monks of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minn.

“A New Heaven and a New Earth” features calligraphy and illuminations (artwork) never before seen in Duluth.

Tuesday

The Saint John’s Bible is displayed 5:50-7 p.m. at Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel, 1200 Kenwood Ave. Sister Irene Nowell talks about “Opening Our Eyes to God’s Light” at 7:15 p.m. A reception and viewing follow. Sister Irene is a Benedictine from Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, Kan., and is author of “Sing a New Song: The Psalms in the Sunday Lectionary.”

Wednesday

Timothy Ternes leads Visio Divina, a study of the illuminations of the Saint John’s Bible text, at 2 p.m. at St. Scholastica Monastery. Reservations are required; call (218) 723-6555. Ternes is director of the Saint John’s Bible at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library in Collegeville, Minn.

At 7:15 p.m., as part of a Lenten Service, Sister Irene Nowell leads a Visio Divina titled “The Baptism of Jesus,” at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1325 N. 45th Ave. E., Duluth, with a reception to follow. No reservations are required.

Thursday

An ecumenical worship service called “A New Heaven and a New Earth” is celebrated at 7:15 p.m. in our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel, with a reception and Saint John’s Bible viewing to follow.

For information, call (218) 723-7049.

Tags: community, religion, art