Beginning in 1996, the community of Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota, began planning and working on The Saint John’s Bible, the first handwritten, illuminated Bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in five hundred years. This exhibition showcases Letters and Revelation, the final volume in the work, and celebrates the completion of the creation phase of this monumental achievement, some 15 years in the making.

The Saint John’s Bible was created by a team of 23 professional scribes, artists and assistants in a scriptorium in Wales, under the artistic direction of Donald Jackson, one of the world’s foremost calligraphers. This extraordinary example of one of the world’s great religious texts was conceived with a specific purpose: to be an expression of faith relevant to the modern world. It is a visual record of our own generation’s perception and artistic interpretation of an age-old historical and literary document.

This unique undertaking combines a centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship with the latest capabilities of computer technology and electronic communication. Handwritten on calfskin vellum using hand-cut quills, ancient inks, natural pigments and 24 karat gold, The Saint John’s Bible is a collaborative effort, involving many people in both Wales and the United States.

This exhibition is organized by the Minneapolis Institute of Art
and Saint John’s Abbey and University, Collegeville, MN.