Bulgaria Receives a Gift from Ireland for St. Patrick's Day
Today, March 17th, is St. Patrick’s Day – the patron of Ireland, as the holiday is celebrated by all the Catholics around the world.
On the occasion of Ireland’s national holiday Ireland’s Ambassador to Bulgaria H.E. Geoffrey Keating gave the Bulgarian people a priceless copy of the Book of Durrow which is to be kept at the St. Kliment Ohridski University Library in Sofia.
The Book of Durrow is a richly illustrated manuscript in Latin, possibly the oldest extant complete illuminated gospel from Ireland. The Book was written at Durrow Abbey which is set to the west of Dublin, in County Offaly. Today the manuscript is one of the treasures of the Trinity College Library. The copy was ordered by Trinity College and was printed in a limited printing of 650 copies in 1960 by the Swiss publishing house Urs Graf-Verlag. The copy which will be given to the St. Kliment Ohridski University Library is copy number 566.
The Book of Durrow is among the most valuable exhibits in the personal libraries of people like Pope Paul VI, Charles de Gaulle and USA’s 37th President Richard Nixon.
We wish a Happy Holiday to all who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
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