Vernon’s newspaper the “Morning Star” published an article about the replica of the “Book of Kells” that All Saints currently has on display.
All Saints Anglican Church in Vernon recently received an exact replica of the “Book of Kells,” which is now on permanent display.
The original Book of Kells is kept at Trinity College in Dublin, where it costs 25 euros to see. It is a significant artifact in medieval (especially Celtic) history, religious history, and art history.
The origins of the original book are unclear: it has traditionally been attributed to Saint Columba of Iona (521-597) but was probably written around 800AD. It was likely brought to Kells in 878AD by the Abbot of Iona, in order to preserve it from Viking raiders. Famously stolen in 1006AD, it was found two months later buried “under a sod” near the church, stripped of its gold and silver case. After the church at Kells was destroyed in 1641, the book found its way to Trinity College Dublin in 1661.
Scholars believe that the Book of Kells was not intended for daily use or for study, but for display and ceremonial use within the church. It is primarily a piece of artwork: the text is secondary to the illustrations, evidenced by uncorrected mistakes in the text and missing features. The images, by contrast, are exquisitely intricate and designed for contemplation. Some images are also quite whimsical, such as cats chasing rodents running away with communion wafers.
In 1990 a set of 1480 numbered facsimiles were created, each of which was an exact copy including uneven edges, holes in the parchment, faded inks, and so on. Until now the nearest replica has been on display in the library at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
The replica will be on permanent display in the foyer at All Saints, Vernon as of Sunday, November 30.
The manuscript will be kept under glass for security and preservation purposes. Upon request, researchers may gain access to the manuscript by appointment.
