World-Famous Saint John's Bible on View as Part of 'Three Day Spiritual Journey of Faith' in Honor of St. Scholastica's Centennial

Release Date: 02/15/12

The handcrafted Saint John's Bible is coming to Duluth for free public viewing on Feb. 28 and 29 and 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. The College was founded in 1912 and is celebrating its 100^th year throughout 2012.

The hand-written, 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 2011 and presented to the monks of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, MN.

"A New Heaven and a New Earth" will feature calligraphy and illuminations (artwork) never before seen in Duluth. The schedule:

Tuesday, Feb. 28

The Saint John's Bible will be on display from 5:50 to 7 p.m. at Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel, 1200 Kenwood Ave. Sister Irene Nowell will give a talk titled "Opening Our Eyes to God's Light" at 7:15 p.m. A reception and exhibit viewing will follow. Sister Irene is a Benedictine from Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison, KS, and is author of "Sing a New Song: The Psalms in the Sunday Lectionary."

Wednesday, Feb. 29

Timothy Ternes will lead 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, MN.

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

Thursday, March 1

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

For more information call (218) 723-7049.