Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer

Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer – Scriptorium – ms. 304 – Archivo de la Catedral (Valencia, Spain)

Paris (France) β€” Around 1275

In the possession of the famous itinerant preacher Vincente Ferrer, confessor to the kings of Aragon and one of the key figures of the Council of Constance: the personal Bible of one of the most influential figures of the 14th century

  1. Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419) was a key player in the Great Western Schism and the Council of Constance (1414–18)

  2. The Bible belonged to the famous itinerant preacher and confessor to the kings of Aragon

  3. It was the template for the famous Spanish translation by his brother, Bonifatius Ferrer

Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer

Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€€
(3,000€ - 7,000€)
  1. Description
  2. Detail Picture
  3. Single Page
  4. Facsimile Editions (1)
Description
Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer

The Bible that Saint Vincent Ferrer always bore with him during his numerous preaching tours. The template for the first translation of the Bible into a Romance language (through Bonifatius Ferrer, the brother of the saint). Plus, a true relic! The Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer, housed today in the Valencia Cathedral, is all of this. The precious manuscript from the 13th century accompanied Saint Vincent Ferrer, an influential preacher from Valencia and counselor to numerous kings and popes during the time of the Great Western Schism, while on countless journeys and served him as a resource for is missions and sermons. Notes from the saint’s own hand in the margins attest to this use. This historically significant and valuable specimen of a Gothic Bible is adorned with splendid initials and miniatures.

Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer

The Bible that Saint Vincent Ferrer always bore with him during his numerous preaching tours. The template for the first translation of the Bible into a Romance language (through Bonifatius Ferrer, the brother of the saint). Plus, a true relic! The Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer, housed today in the Valencia Cathedral, is all of this. The precious manuscript from the 13th century accompanied Saint Vincent Ferrer, an influential preacher from Valencia and counselor to numerous kings and popes during the time of the Great Western Schism, while on countless journeys and served him as a resource for is missions and sermons. Notes from the saint’s own hand in the margins attest to this use. This historically significant and valuable specimen of a Gothic Bible is adorned with splendid initials and miniatures.

The Valencian Saint

Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419) was a Dominican from Valencia, who was active as a preacher across all of southern Europe. He maintained a close connection with the anti-popes in Avignon and was, among others, a confessor of (Anti-) Pope Benedict XIII. He was eventually called to be an itinerant preacher by a vision and was active as such in Spain, Southern France, and Upper Italy. Vincent Ferrer later reappeared in Spain, where he wielded great political influence as preacher and particularly as confessor to the kings of Aragon. Thus Vincent was significantly involved in the historical events surrounding the Council of Constance and the cessation of the Great Western Schism. As the composer of theological writings and a charismatic preacher, he prophesied the imminent end of the world. Vincent Ferrer, around whom numerous legends twined, was already sainted in 1455.

The Personal Bible of the Saint

Since at least the 16th century, there has been a precious Bible stored in the archives of the Valencia Cathedral whose history is closely tied with Vincent Ferrer. The 994 page strong manuscript is a 13th century work, probably originating from Paris ca. 1275. It served the Spanish itinerant priest and influential counsellor of the Kings of Aragon and several Popes as private reading and an example for his sermons. The manuscript contains interesting and historically valuable marginal notes from the hand of the saint himself. The Bible has the character of a relic, it was surely the precious manuscript that the saint bore with him during his preaching tours.

Book Adornment Shining Like Gold

The text of the Bible is recorded in gorgeous, uniform Gothic script and is adorned by large initials and precious miniatures. The initials, which stretch across the whole page and simultaneously frame the text, are composed of artful blue arabesques on shimmering gold leaf. Small animals and mythical creatures enliven these ornamental elements. Such animals, e.g. dogs hunting rabbits, are sometimes found again as marginal decorations next to or below the text. Additionally, two miniature pages adorn the small precious manuscript.

Historical Significance

Furthermore, the Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer with its Latin text was the template for a groundbreaking development, the famous Spanish Bible translation of his brother. Bonifatius Ferrer (1335–1417), the older brother of the saint, completed a Spanish translation of the Holy Scriptures called the Biblia Valencia. This was the first translation of the Vulgate into a Romance language. Consequently, the Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer not only represents a historically significant artifact, but can also be appreciated as a true relic of the saint from Valencia.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
La Biblia de San Vicente Ferrer
Bibel des Heiligen Bonifacius Ferrer
Size / Format
994 pages / 19.0 Γ— 14.0 cm
Origin
France
Date
Around 1275
Style
Language
Previous Owners
Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419)

Available facsimile editions:
Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer – Scriptorium – ms. 304 – Archivo de la Catedral (Valencia, Spain)
Scriptorium – Valencia, 1992
Limited Edition: 980 copies
Detail Picture

Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer

Crucifixion

Despite its size, this tiny Crucifixion scene was created with the finest pigments and gold leaf. Flanked by Mary and John the Apostle, Christ Crucified is framed by winding vines of blue and red before a shimmering field of burnished gold leaf, all of which is surrounded by a glowing aura of green and yellow. All three figures are depicted with a blue halo. This is an early example of Gothic illumination and the slender, elongated bodies are typical of the French style.

Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer – Scriptorium – ms. 304 – Archivo de la Catedral (Valencia, Spain)
Single Page

Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer

Initial Page – Prologue

Medieval Bibles often contained prologues, either preceding the Bible as a whole or an individual book, which were usually authored by St. Jerome. Their purpose was to both guide the reader and also explain the choices made by Jerome while undertaking his historic translation of the Vulgate from Hebrew instead of Greek, like earlier Latin translations.

Notes from the hand of St. Vincent Ferrer himself can be seen in the margins of the text, as well as at the top of the page. The initial itself is so elaborate that it doubles as a frame. Populated by a cat, rabbit, hunting dog, and some kind of winged grotesque, it is artfully painted with red, blue, and green and elaborately embellished with shimmering gold leaf.

Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer – Scriptorium – ms. 304 – Archivo de la Catedral (Valencia, Spain)
Facsimile Editions

#1 La Biblia de San Vicente Ferrer

Scriptorium – Valencia, 1992
Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer – Scriptorium – ms. 304 – Archivo de la Catedral (Valencia, Spain)
Bible of Saint Vincent Ferrer – Scriptorium – ms. 304 – Archivo de la Catedral (Valencia, Spain) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles

Publisher: Scriptorium – Valencia, 1992
Limited Edition: 980 copies
Binding: Leather with two clasps Reliquary case identical to the one used to preserve the original manuscript
Commentary: 1 volume by Francisco Gimeno Blay
Language: Spanish
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Biblia de San Vicente Ferrer, c. 1275, con urna de cristal San Vicente Ferrer viviΓ³ hace 600 aΓ±os (el prΓ³ximo 2019 se cumplirΓ‘n los 600 aΓ±os de su fallecimiento en Vannes), predicΓ³ por Europa y fue amigo y consejero de Reyes y Papas e intervino decisivamente en la sucesiΓ³n de la Corona de AragΓ³n. Su obra misionera se debe en gran parte a la fuente de inspiraciΓ³n que le acompaΓ±Γ³ durante toda su vida: La Biblia. La Biblia de San Vicente, que sirviΓ³ de base a la primera traducciΓ³n a una lengua romΓ‘nica -la desaparecida "Biblia valenciana", que realizase su hermano Fray Bonifacio Ferrer- es aquΓ­ reproducida en todo su esplendor, tal y como se encuentra actualmente en la Catedral de Valencia, enriquecida con los comentarios marginales de puΓ±o y letra del propio Santo, destacando la maravilla de su caligrafΓ­a gΓ³tica y los adornos miniados del libro, que durante siglos ha estado celosamente guardado en el Relicario de la Catedral. A partir de la traducciΓ³n latina o Vulgata, como se denomina la versiΓ³n de San JerΓ³nimo, La Biblia de San Vicente Ferrer recoge el texto biblΓ­co Γ­ntegro, mΓ‘s unas aclaraciones preliminares del propio San JerΓ³nimo sobre los criterios seguidos en la versiΓ³n de las Sagradas Escrituras, y notas de San Vicente Ferrer a los Evangelios, Cartas de San Pablo a los Colosenses, Tesalonicenses y Timoteo. La Biblia de San Vicente Ferrer se entrega con una rΓ©plica de la urna relicario como la que se conserva en la Catedral de Valencia: cristal, metal y garras plateadas, y con un libro estudio del cΓ³dice medieval. ReproducciΓ³n facsΓ­mile, fiel e Γ­ntegra, con acta notarial. EdiciΓ³n exclusiva, limitada y numerada. CaracterΓ­sticas del facsΓ­mile: medidas 14 x 19 cms., encuadernado artesanalmente en tabla y cuero, con 2 broches en tela y metal, cantos dorados. CaracterΓ­sticas del libro estudio: medidas 14 x 19 cms., encuadernado artesanalmente en cuero y tela carmesΓ­, con 1.734 pΓ‘ginas. Incluye todas las anotaciones manuscritas transcritas en latΓ­n (no se autorizΓ³ por la Catedral de Valencia su traducciΓ³n al espaΓ±ol). CaracterΓ­sticas de la urna relicario: 44,50 x 32,50 cms. de base entre garras, 13 cms. de altura total. Textos del libro estudio: "En esta riqueza documental y doctrinal de la Biblioteca Catedral, destaca el cΓ³dice 304 correspondiente a la Biblia Vulgata, comΓΊnmente conocida como la Biblia de San Vicente Ferrer, por haber pertenecido al Santo, haberla llevado consigo en sus andanzas apostΓ³licas y haberla usado como libro de estudio y de oraciΓ³n." "MΓ‘s allΓ‘ de estos datos circunstanciales, el cΓ³dice 304 goza intrΓ­nsecamente de la cualidad especΓ­fica de ser una reliquia, la reliquia mΓ‘s preciada de San Vicente Ferrer. Porque en esta Biblia, a la que hay que considerar el libro de cabecera del Santo, buscΓ³ la inspiraciΓ³n para sus sermones, bebiΓ³ la santa doctrina que transmitiΓ³ a sus oyentes, y se entregΓ³ a la contemplaciΓ³n con el ahinco que describiΓ³ en su Tratado de la vida espiritual." "El manuscrito 304 de la Catedral de Valencia es un cΓ³dice en pergamino-vitela... escrito a dos columnas, de cuarenta y cuatro lΓ­neas cada una de ellas, con una minΓΊscula gΓ³tica textual caligrΓ‘fica de la segunda mitad del siglo XIII. ... existen indicios que permiten relacionarla con el modelo conocido como Biblia parisina. ... Presenta una escasa decoraciΓ³n que se limita a dos orlas situadas en los folios 4 r. y 7 v., con motivos zoomΓ³rficos en el primer caso, y con escenas de la vida de Jesucristo, en el segundo. El miniaturista empleΓ³ diversos colores y, especialmente, el pan de oro. Para el resto del manuscrito tan sΓ³lo han utilizado las tintas propias de los manuscritos gΓ³ticos, que se reducen a la combinaciΓ³n alternante de las tintas roja y azul..." "... De este modo la Biblia contenida en el manuscrito 304 del Archivo de la Catedral de Valencia, aparece como la compaΓ±era inseparable de (san) Vicente Ferrer tanto en su labor pastoral a travΓ©s de la predicaciΓ³n como en su actividad intelectual." De esta obra tenemos dos ejemplares, incluido el exclusivo nΓΊmero 1 (a un precio mucho mayor y del que, por supuesto, no trata este artΓ­culo, y a cuyo comprador se le regala un ejemplar del facsΓ­mile de la obra La Vida de San Vicente Ferrer, de 1510).ConsΓΊltenos si le interesa. NOTA: este artΓ­culo no se vende fuera de EspaΓ±a peninsular con urna de cristal.
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€€
(3,000€ - 7,000€)
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