Igniting the Spiritual Imagination

St Davids Cathedral and The St John Bible Heritage Edition: Chief Operating Officer Judith Leigh rejoices in a remarkable gift.

In 1998 The St John Bible – the first hand-written, hand-illumine, Bible created for the Benedictine Order for over 500 years – was commissioned by St John’s Abbey and University in Minnesota, USA The creative team was led by Donald Jackson, formerly calligrapher to Queen Elizabeth II, who now lives in Wales.

It is an awe-inspiring masterpiece in seven volumes. It was immediately recognised as a Bible to be seen and shared globally. Thus was born The St John Bible Heritage Program, producing an outstanding facsimile edition of 299 copies for churches and academic institutions around the world. To honour Donald Jackson’s remarkable work, the Program decided a copy dedicated to him should be given to a place of his choosing.

Donald felt a copy should come to Wales and decided St Davids Cathedral was the place.

The St John Bible will be formally presented by representatives of the Heritage Program, the donors and Donald Jackson on 12 September, at Choral Evensong.

The intention behind The St John Bible was always evangelistic: the beautiful art and calligraphy should engage readers for the first time, or afresh, with the message of Scripture, and the invitation and challenge of the Gospel. The Cathedral shares this aim. One volume will be in the Cathedral for visitors to turn the pages for themselves. Another will be at Tŷ’r Pererin, the Pilgrimage & Education centre, for use in retreats, educational visits, and calligraphy and illumination workshops. Other volumes will be on permanent display in Porth y Tŵr , along with information about the Bible’s creation. And there’s a plan for a scheme for churches, LMAs and cathedrals across Wales to borrow a volume, and run their own projects.

Dean Sarah Rowland Jones says: “The stunning calligraphy and illuminations – profound meditations on Scripture’s words - are designed to draw us closer to Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. I’m delighted St Davids Cathedral can share in this initiative to ignite the spiritual imagination of the hundreds of thousands who visit us.”

Please email if you would like more information about this donation, to flag interest in borrowing a volume or coming to St Davids to engage with the Bible.

judith@stdavidscathedral.org.uk

More information is available at https://saintjohnsbible.org/