NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, New York received a rare, full-size Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible in honor of His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan Archbishop of New York.
The gift of the Apostles Edition was received and blessed in a private ceremony on September 30 conducted in the Lady Chapel of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. More than 20 dignitaries and alumni from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University traveled to New York for the occasion. The group included Abbot John Klassen, OSB of Saint John’s Abbey, who was a doctoral student with Cardinal Dolan at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in the 1980s.
“We are thrilled and honored to receive the unique gift of an Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, and even more thrilled that this gift will serve to honor Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s legacy of generosity and wisdom for generations to come,” said Father Enrique Salvo, Rector of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.
“I feel very close to this project. I’ve known about it for over a quarter century, and now I feel even closer as it comes to our beloved cathedral,” said Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York. “This is the most visited church in America, where millions come to pray, to express their faith, and to sense the Lord’s presence, that is so tangible in this cathedral. It’s here in sacrament. It’s here in worship. It’s here in belief. It’s here in the Word of God proclaimed at Mass. And now that Word will be even more radiantly evident as people can reflect upon the sparkling, illuminating, enlightening pages of this historic Bible.”
alumni made the trip to New York City, including Fr. John Klassen and Prior Eric Hollas.
“Because of these sacred volumes, which we reverently welcome, Christ indeed lives here in an even more sparkling way. Saint John says, ‘the Word became flesh,’ and now in these volumes, that Word is even more dramatically evident here at St. Patrick’s.”
Only 12 Apostles Editions exist (one for each of Jesus’ disciples). One was presented to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. as well as at Lambeth Palace in honor of Her Majesty the Late Queen Elizabeth in 2023. Other locations to have received one include the Vatican Museum of Art, the Library of Congress and the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. Each volume is signed and numbered by Donald Jackson, Artistic Director of The Saint John’s Bible and former Senior Scribe and Illuminator at Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Crown Office in the House of Lords.
“The significance of St. Patrick’s Cathedral as America’s parish church and the importance of the occasion dictated the magnificence and increasingly rare gift of an Apostles Edition,” said Rev. Dr. John F. Ross, Executive Director of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program. “We are honored to share in this co-celebration of His Eminence and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, among the most important religious communities in our country. With more than 5 million visitors each year, this gift will both honor Cardinal Dolan and serve to ignite the spiritual imagination of people around the world.”
This gift is made possible through the generosity of anonymous benefactors who have chosen to honor His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan Archbishop of New York.
October 13, 2024.
The Saint John’s Bible: Ignite the Spiritual Imagination
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To discover how you can own or gift an Apostles Edition, contact Rev. Dr. John F. Ross, executive director of the Heritage Program at jross001@csbsju.edu.