Ireland Donates Valuable Gospel Book to Sofia University

A valuable copy of the Irish gospel Book of Durrow became part of Sofia's “St. Kliment Ohridski” University library collection in occasion of Ireland's National Holiday – St. Patrick's Day. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency.

The Irish Ambassador to Bulgaria, Geoffrey Keating, donated a valuable copy of the Book of Durrow to the library of the University of Sofia.

The copy becomes part of Sofia's "St. Kliment Ohridski" University library collection on the occasion of Ireland's National Holiday - St. Patrick's Day.

The Book of Durrow is a 7th century illuminated manuscript in the Insular style made either at Durrow Abbey near Durrow in County Offaly Ireland, or in Northumbria in Northern England. It is a Gospel Book, possibly the oldest extant complete illuminated gospel from Ireland or Britain. The text includes the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, plus several pieces of prefatory matter.

The gospel book is kept at the Trinity College Library in Dublin and is considered one of its most valuable treasures.

The copy presented to the Sofia University has been ordered by Trinity College and has been published by the Swiss Urs Graf-Verlag in 1960 with a limited circulation of 650 copies. The edition in the Bulgarian collection is coded under number 566.

A conference to discuss Bulgaria-Ireland relations, including experts from both countries, is scheduled for March 26. The conference is being held under the initiative of the President of the University of Sofia, Professor Ivan Ilchev.

 

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