Spend two minutes beholding Donald Jackson’s luminous “Birth of Christ” from The Saint John’s Bible. The music here is provided by singers Nicole Leupp Hanig, performing and fine arts, and music student Cameron Creitz ’23 singing English and German verses of “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming,” respectively. Members of UP’s music department—faculty and students—provided the music for several months’ worth of these glimpses of UP’s Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible. Look (and listen) for those in upcoming issues of UPBeat.
Saint John's Bible
Moment of Beauty From The Saint John’s Bible: Messianic Predictions
Spend 90 seconds with this illumination of the names of the Messiah foretold by the prophet Isaiah, rendered by artist Thomas Ingmire. He is the same one who calligraphed “The Ten Commandments,” which was highlighted earlier this year. If your curiosity gets piqued by these weekly glimpses into UP’s Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, a benefaction from Allen and Kathleen Lund, contact Karen Eifler in the Garaventa Center, eifler@up.edu.
Psalms Frontispiece From “The Saint John’s Bible”
This week’s moment of quiet beauty is the opening of the Book of Psalms. Fun fact: the squiggly lines in various hues are voiceprints of different groups praying; Benedictine monks, Jews, Native Americans, Muslims, Taoists, Buddhists, Hindus, and Greek Orthodox. Each form of prayer—an essential human urge—has a distinct shape, producing this lustrous tapestry of humans reaching out to the Divine in joy, pain, confusion, contrition, and awe. UP’s Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible is a gift from Allen and Kathleen Lund. Questions about these glimpses of the illuminations can be directed to Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center, at eifler@up.edu.
This Week’s Peek at The Saint John’s Bible: Joshua Anthology
Spend 90 seconds taking in the Joshua Anthology in this brief video of the illumination. It’s a different rendering for those of us who perhaps grew up singing “Joshua fit the battle of Jericho…and the walls came-a tumbling down.” Do you see the Ten Commandments used as battle flags in this imagining?. One of the artistic team’s favorite strategies was to combine elements from other illuminations in their art, linking the ideas in this way.
Weekly Moment of Beauty From The Saint John’s Bible
Enjoy this 90-second film of the illumination of The Ten Commandments from UP’s Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible. Fun fact: the artist, Thomas Ingmire, is something of an anarchist, so tackling one of humanity’s best-known sets of rules was a wonderful challenge for him! Video is at this link.
Lenten Visio Divina
All staff and faculty are invited to engage in Visio Divina on Wednesdays during Lent. To accommodate varied schedules, there will be two sessions offered, at 12:45 and 7:15 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. In the frenetic pace of most of our days, Visio Divina is a chance to step into quiet contemplative individual reflection centered on an image from The Saint John’s Bible, a different one each week. Each session lasts about 30 minutes.
For more information, contact Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center, at eifler@up.edu.
“Whimsy and Humor in The Saint John’s Bible,” Feb. 17
Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB, of St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., will offer a lecture entitled “Humor and Whimsy in The Saint John’s Bible” on Tuesday, February 17, at 7:15 p.m., in the Bauccio Commons board room. In addition to shedding new light on the genesis of The Saint John’s Bible, Fr. Hollas will highlight the many visual puns and quirkiness in the art of the first fully hand-rendered Bible manuscript crafted in over 500 years.
This lecture is part of the Beckman Humor Project, and is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at the lecture and also at the 6:30 p.m. reception in Buckley Center Gallery that officially kicks off the display of 10 large prints from the project.
The talk is sponsored by the Garaventa Center. For more information, contact Karen Eifler at 8014 or eifler@up.edu.
Garaventa Center Events This Week
The Garaventa Center will sponsor two campus events this week, according to Jamie Powell, Garaventa Center:
- An art exhibit for The Saint John’s Bible opens in the Buckley Center Art Gallery on Monday, February 9. The exhibit Includes 10 large prints from the University’s Heritage Edition of The Saint Johns Bible. The exhibit is free and open to all and end on Friday, March 6. Information: Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center, eifler@up.edu.
- Michael Andrews lecture, “Edith Stein: ‘Woman’ and ‘Vocation’ and Other Signs of Contradiction,” Tuesday, February 10, 7:15 p.m., Franz Hall Holy Cross Lounge. All are welcome to attend. For more information contact Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center, at eifler@up.edu.
Saint John’s Bible Print Display, Feb. 10 to March 6
Ten large prints of The Saint John’s Bible will be on display in Buckley Center gallery from Tuesday, February 10, to Friday, March 6. An opening reception will be held on Tuesday, February 17, at 6:30 p.m., followed by a talk with Rev. Eric Hollas, O.S.B, at 7:15 p.m. in the Board Room of the Bauccio Commons. The gallery exhibit and reception are free and open to all.
In 1998, the monks of Saint John’s Abbey in Minnesota commissioned renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson to produce the first hand-written and illuminated Bible in 500 years. Following production, the University of Portland received a Heritage Edition as a generous gift from Allen and Kathleen Lund. The Saint John’s Bible is on permanent display in the Clark Library.
For more information contact Karen Eifler at 8014 or eifler@up.edu
Visio Divina Contemplative Prayer Sessions For Advent
The Garaventa Center and Campus Ministry invite all members of the UP community to step away from the frenzy of the season for Visio Divina on Wednesdays during Advent, 12:45 and 7:15 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Visio Divina, which means “sacred seeing,” is an ancient form of contemplative prayer centered on sacred images. It is rooted in monastic tradition.
Participants will experience the Divine in images from the University’s Saint John’s Bible, a different one each week. Visio Divina asks only for our silent presence; each session lasts about 30 minutes.
For more information please contact Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center, at eifler@up.edu or Beth Barsotti, Campus Ministry, at barsotti@up.edu.