The Archivist’s Nook: People’s stories in Parish histories

Posted on July 2, 2024July 2, 2024 by Alex Audziayuk

The desire to form communities and act together is inherent in people. This can encompass various aspects of our lives: work, family, sport, recreation, and, of course, faith and spiritual life, which may be manifested not only through affiliation with a specific church or denomination but also through a local community of people who, sharing their faith, are also willing to share their external life of prayer and service. The term most commonly and fittingly used to describe this is “parish”, which originates from the Greek word meaning “a sojourner” or “a neighbor” [1].

Parish histories is a unique genre of publications that document and commemorate the history of such communities, and also offer insights into the lives and personal stories of its members: the places they lived, the streets they walked, the churches they built or worshiped and served in, the ceremonies they held, the schools they attended, the ministries they offered to their neighbors, and even the businesses they owned or advertised. Such publications were typically created to mark a significant event in the community’s life, would it be a dedication of a new church or school building, a visit by a distinguished person, or a jubilee of any kind, either silver (the 25th), golden (the 50th), and diamond (the 60th) anniversaries, or all the way up to the centennial (the 100th), sesquicentennial (the 150th), and beyond.

The complex nature and unique circumstances of American Catholic history have given rise to a variety of parish types. These include territorial parishes, the most common type established for Roman Catholics residing within specific geographical boundaries defined by the local diocese, national parishes, formed for individuals sharing the same nationality, culture, or language (such as Polish, German, Irish communities, and more), Black parishes, established in response to racial tensions and segregation in the country, and the so-called Eastern Rite parishes, set up for Catholics who belong to other liturgical traditions than Roman, such as Byzantine (or Ruthenian), Ukrainian, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites (originating from India), and more. Each type of parish reflects a unique facet of the Catholic American experience, demonstrating the diversity and adaptability of the Church in different contexts.

Documenting the history of all such groups, parish histories may offer unique information that can contribute to the history of the community at large. They frequently include general historical data about the neighborhood, town, or county, provide a broader context for their life in terms of language and culture, and are often accompanied by sketches, artworks, or photographs.

Images of streets and public events, the exteriors and interiors of parish buildings, group or individual photos or brief biographies of active community members, and narratives with details that may not be recorded elsewhere, can all be found within the pages of Parish Histories. As such, they serve as a valuable resource for people interested in genealogical research, as well as researchers studying local history from various angles: social, political, religious, ethnic, racial, gender, etc.

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At the Catholic University of America Special Collections, we recognize and deeply value the historical significance of Parish Histories. We are also aware of how ephemeral and elusive such publications can be, and how their importance can be amplified when considered collectively rather than individually. Our American Catholic Parish Histories collection, housed in the Rare Books section, is the outcome of our commitment to actively gather, meticulously preserve, and gladly provide access to these unique publications that reflect the history of local communities and the stories of the people who built them.

Geographically, our collection encompasses all the States nationwide, and, topically, it includes the histories of dioceses, religious houses, and church ministries, parish schools and missions, and we are committed to ensuring their preservation and accessibility. Currently, we have amassed over 3,700 publications, but the collection is far from complete, with the representation of some states or dioceses being better than others. We strive to proactively collect and even occasionally purchase Parish Histories, but historically, donations have been the primary source of our collection’s growth.

Photo of a few samples from the recent donation by Dr. Joseph M. White, 2024 — A few samples from the recent donation by Dr. Joseph M. White, 2024

Such donations, whether they come from individuals, families, or directly from parishes (who sometimes send us their newly published histories while celebrating another milestone in their life), as well as more substantial contributions from book collectors who wanted to find a good home for their treasures and believed that we can provide good care and access [2], greatly enhance our collection. When agreed upon and accepted, these contributions are deeply appreciated [3].

You can explore our Parish Histories collection through the online Database and see a few digitized samples in Rare Books Digital Collections. If you have further questions or want to schedule an appointment with Rare Books to access any of our wonderful Parish Histories in person, you can contact us at lib-rarebooks@cua.edu.

[1] https://www.etymonline.com/word/parish

[2] It’s only fitting to acknowledge here the most recent donation of 19 histories of parishes in Indiana and Connecticut published between 1903 and the 2000s. This generous contribution was made by Dr. Joseph M. White, a retired associate professor of American History from our very own Catholic University. We deeply appreciate his gift, as well as the gifts from all our donors!

[3] Those contemplating enhancing our collection through donations are encouraged to familiarize themselves with our acquisition and donation policies and reach out to us at lib-rarebooks@cua.edu before proceeding further in the process.

The Archivist’s Nook: ABCs of Codicology – Free guide to knowing your manuscript

Posted on March 19, 2024March 20, 2024 by Alex Audziayuk

It is often hard to forget your first encounter with a truly antique printed book, looking impressive with its wooden boards and brass clasps, or a medieval manuscript that breathes even more ancient history. Most of us experience this deep feeling of almost reverent awe at looking at or touching it with one’s bare hands (“Wait, no white gloves? Is it safe for the book?”), when one thinks not of decades, but centuries of history this very object has witnessed and of numerous people, scribes, readers, and scholars, who created, owned, or held it in their hands five, six, eight, or even more centuries back.

Thanks to this wonderful initial “awe” moment, a person starts seeing a book or a manuscript (which literally means “written by hand”) not only as simple text, multiple copies of which may often be obtained elsewhere, but as a unique historical artifact, which, when properly understood, may reveal a lot on its own history and background as well as on the history of the eras and locations it has witnessed. And then, naturally, we get curious and many questions arise in our minds regarding the object’s creation, history, text, structure, physicality, and other features.

It may be easier to find answers working with printed books, which often contain some information on their manufacturing history and multiple copies of which may be available around, but it’s much less obvious with manuscripts. They may make us ponder, how do we know this particular manuscript was made in thirteenth-century France, and not in late fifteenth-century England? How many scribes and other people were involved in its production? What materials is it made of? Is the binding contemporary or late? Who owned it? What can the ink or other physical elements tell us about the time or region of its creation? And we can go on and on.

Getting to know a manuscript is not unlike getting to know a person. To find the answers, you start with a proper conversation, which requires that you ask various (sometimes, very specific) questions, patiently look for answers, and, paraphrasing Sherlock Holmes [1], learn to observe, not only see. The answers (well, at least some of them) may often be found inside this very manuscript if one only knows where to look for them and how to interpret the observed.

Developing such skills is an essential part of training for all scholars and professionals working with manuscripts, and several departments at the Catholic University of America regularly offer such opportunities to their students by hosting specialized class sessions or workshops and introducing them to the two major disciplines related to manuscripts: paleography, a study of historical handwriting, and codicology (from Latin “codex” = “a book” and Greek “logia” = “study (of)”), which studies the manuscripts as physical artifacts and focuses on their materials, structure, illustrative and textual content, physical elements and characteristics, and various other features.

Catholic University Special Collections’ Rare Books, being well equipped with a great manuscript collection, is always happy to take part in these events, hosting or co-hosting them and ensuring hands-on experience for all participants.

Such classes and workshops, though extremely valuable for the students, always draw the interest of more people than they can accommodate, so, in an attempt to make it accessible to a wider audience, including all interested among our students, broader academic community, and the general public, we are happy to announce a six-part video series called “The ABCs of Codicology: Describing Manuscripts for Beginners”, in which Dr. Ilya Dines, a visiting scholar, historian, and codicologist, who has previously conducted multiple classes and workshops on this topic at the CatholicU, will introduce and explain the basics of codicology and manuscript description to everyone.

Screenshot of the title of the new video series The ABCs of Codicology with thumbnail pictures of first few talks in the right sidebar — The ABCs of Codicology: Describing Manuscripts for Beginners by Dr. Ilya Dines, 2023

Dr. Dines received his Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with a dissertation on the Critical Edition of Bestiaries of the Third Family. He completed his postdoc at the University of Cologne and later worked at the University of Cambridge and other academic institutions and libraries worldwide. He came to the United States in 2015, as a recipient of a Kluge fellowship at the Library of Congress, where he worked until 2022. He is the author of 2 books, 20 articles, and several electronic catalogs. In recent years, he has become increasingly interested in codicology and paleography. From these pursuits, the idea emerged to create a small, accessible course that would help librarians and new scholars describe manuscripts without being professional codicologists.

These videos were recorded in 2023 at the Catholic University of America, Special Collections’ Rare Books reading room and are now freely available on YouTube: “The ABCs of Codicology”. So, please, follow the link, if you would like to learn more about manuscripts and manuscript description, and send us an email at lib-rarebooks@cua.edu if you think of scheduling an appointment to see some manuscripts in our collection in person.

References:

[1] “You see, but you do not observe.” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, A Scandal in Bohemia, 1891.

The Archivist’s Nook: Tolkien, Milton, and Rare Books

Posted on January 12, 2023January 12, 2023 by Alex Audziayuk

Encountering a book once owned, signed, or inscribed by a distinguished person, is in some way encountering the person who signed it or closing the distance to only “a few handshakes away”. Holding the very same volume, read by someone we admire, turning the same pages, can become a transformative and inspirational experience.

Books such as these are known as association copies, and they have always been of interest to scholars and researchers providing invaluable insight into the life and acquaintances of the person who owned them. Whether they come with a bookplate or personalized inscription to their friends or colleagues, handwritten notes in the margins (aka marginalia), funny doodles scribbled within, a business card with a note, a dried flower, or a newspaper clipping folded between the pages: anything can become a source of new information.

Sometimes, people will ask us if we have any books in our Rare Books collections marked by distinguished names, and we are proud to say that we have some! W. B. Yeats, John Donne, Margaret Mitchell, Jelly Roll Morton, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton, to name just a few, are among those whose handwriting can be found in books on our shelves.

Until recently, if someone asked us about Tolkien (not an unreasonable question, given J.R.R. Tolkien’s strong Catholic faith and literary influence) we would have had to admit that unfortunately, we were not aware of any such books in our holdings, but now we gladly say that yes we do, though it depends on which Tolkien you have in mind, the father or the son.

Recently, our staff member re-discovered a book in the stacks, which made some other staff members very excited once they saw on the free front endpaper the name of a previous owner:

“Christopher Tolkien,
Oxford, 1952”

Christopher Tolkien was the youngest son of the famous writer and creator of Middle-earth J.R.R. Tolkien, who assisted in and later continued his father’s work as an editor and literary executor of his entire legacy, which became his full-time occupation and ended his over 10-year-long academic career as a Fellow of New College, Oxford. Since 1975, he was working hard to make a large corpus of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world and mythology available to readers, starting with the Silmarillion and the twelve volumes of the History of Middle-earth. His deeply scholarly work, performed with a tremendous level of understanding and attention to detail, and ability to navigate through multiple (sometimes conflicting) versions of the same narratives, compiling them into one consistent tale, makes him a most highly regarded figure for all Tolkien scholars and enthusiasts.

Christopher J. R. Tolkien (1924–2020), photo by Le Monde

In 2016, for his “editorial work on his father’s manuscripts” and his “academic career at the University of Oxford”, Christopher Tolkien was awarded the highest honor of the Bodleian Libraries – the Bodley Medal.

Approaching the third anniversary of his passing on January 16, 2020, we would like to highlight the recently discovered book, associated with him, but first – to share a few stories which can provide a context to what we can see in our copy.

In the Foreword to the 50th-anniversary edition of the Hobbit in 1987, Christopher Tolkien included the recollections by his older brother Michael about the days when their father read them aloud the first draft of what would later become known as the Hobbit:

“He also remembered that I (then between four and five years old) was greatly concerned with petty consistency as the story unfolded, and that on one occasion I interrupted: ‘Last time, you said Bilbo’s front door was blue, and you said Thorin had a gold tassel on his hood, but you’ve just said that Bilbo’s front door was green, and the tassel on Thorin’s hood was silver’; at which point my father muttered ‘Damn the boy,’ and then ‘strode across the room’ to his desk to make a note.” (C. Tolkien, vii)

Some years later, when Christopher was 14, his father even paid him a twopence for every error spotted in galley-proofs of his books. (J.R.R. Tolkien, 28)

The book re-discovered in our collections is a copy of The manuscript of Milton’s Paradise lost (ed. by H. Darbishire, Oxford, 1931) once owned by Christopher Tolkien, who was then only 28 years old. It was later owned and donated to the University Libraries by Robert T. Meyer, former professor of Celtic and comparative philology at Catholic University.

In addition to Christopher Tolkien’s ownership mark, executed in brown ink in an elegant and easily recognizable penmanship that mirrors his father’s, our copy also contains a marginal note, executed in the similar ink, which allows us to assume that our copy was not just owned, but read and worked with.

Similar to how it was in the case of his childhood story mentioned above, this note is nothing else but a correction of an error, spotted by his meticulous eye. Next to the editor’s statement that “the Oxford English Dictionary does not record the form [of a certain word]”, Christopher Tolkien left a brief but precise two-word note “It does” and provided a reference.

He, probably, didn’t get any credit for spotting this error, not even his usual twopence, but for us, even this little note can tell a story.

References:

Tolkien, J. R. R., et al. The letters of J.R.R. Tolkien : a selection. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2000.

Tolkien, Christopher. Foreword. The hobbit or there and back again, by J.R.R. Tolkien, Unwin Hyman, 1987, pp. i-xvi.

The Archivist’s Nook: Neither Quenya nor Klingon – Glagolitic books in the Clementine Library

Posted on November 8, 2022 by Alex Audziayuk

– How many languages does the Church speak?
– All of them.
(a Sunday school joke)

Books from the Clementine Library, a collection of some 9,600 volumes, acquired by CUA in 1928, which came from the libraries of the Albani family of Urbino and Rome, Italy. — University Libraries, Rare Books, Clementine Library

By proclaiming being “Catholic” (meaning “universal”), the Catholic Church highlights its missionary effort to bring the light of the Gospel to every corner of the world and all nations. And often, there’s no other way to reach a community except by learning the language it speaks and the traditions it follows.

Such universality is evident to anyone browsing stacks in Mullen Library with books in various languages, both modern and ancient, usually well-known and spoken or studied today. In Rare Books, though, visitors may encounter volumes that can deeply puzzle any enthusiast willing to identify, not to mention – study them closely. Among them, there are several humbly-looking 17th and early 18th-century volumes that are part of the Clementine library, one of the crown jewels of our collection.

These volumes intrigue and raise questions. What script is that? What language? Who were these books meant for and what’s their purpose? Is it one of the mysterious languages, like the famous Voynich Manuscript, or an example of the “invented” ones like Tolkien’s Quenya or Star Trek’s Klingon? Are there nations that use it still? For most, it won’t look familiar at all, except maybe for some fans of modern video games, who may say that it definitely rings a bell. (Spoiler alert: They are not mistaken!)

A page from the Azbukidarium, or an Alphabet of the St. Jerome's language, published in Rome in 1693. Part of the Clementine Linbrary (University Libraries, Rare Books). — Azbvkidarivm Illyricum Hieronimianum, Romae, 1693, University Libraries, Rare Books.

Our volumes are maybe less mysterious, but they will definitely require deciphering skills. The oldest of them were printed in Rome in the 1630s-1640s at the press of the Congregation of Propaganda Fide (today – Dicastery for Evangelization), and the texts they contain, are in a local version of the Old Slavic language, used in the territory of modern Croatia. Most of them are printed in the script called Glagolitic, an older brother of the Cyrillic and one of the two main writing systems of Slavic nations. Today the Glagolitic is rather extinct.

Glagolitic Script

Whether invented by the holy brothers and missionaries Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century as a writing system for Slavs, as it’s commonly believed by Eastern Christians or, according to an old Western tradition, by St. Jerome, native to Dalmatia, who may also have translated the Bible in his native tongue using “Alphabetum Hieronimianum”, it still remains a mystery what Glagolitic was inspired by and whether it was just an act of pure invention of a brand new and unique writing system for an already existing spoken language.

"Witcher 3" video game screenshot: Map fragment of the kingdom of Kaedwen with its capital Ard Carraigh written in Glagolitic. One can read it easily using the pamphlet with the Glagolitic Alphabet published in Rome in 1693 (see previous photo). — “Witcher 3” video game screenshot: the kingdom of Kaedwen and its capital Ard Carraigh.

Soon, Glagolitic was followed, and ultimately, replaced by Cyrillic, a more familiar and easy-to-use script. But it managed to survive in some territories until the 19th century and was revived recently to be used as a script within the “Witcher” video game series, based on the fantasy universe created by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski.

Latin and vernacular languages

Contrary to popular belief, Latin was not the only official language of the Roman Rite in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council. At various times, missionary efforts required using other scripts and languages of nations the Church tried to reach and teach, and such practice was not reserved by Rome for only some “far away” lands, labeled on maps as “here be dragons”, but also for the nations right across the Adriatic Sea.

This set of volumes, preserved and accessible today in University Libraries’ Rare Books, was meant to be used among the people in Dalmatia and Croatia. It consists of a few primary liturgical books revised, approved, and published soon after the Council of Trent.

Missale Romanum Slavonico idiomate (Rome, 1706)

The first one to be published was the “new and corrected” Roman Missal in the Old Slavic language (also called Illyric in Rome). It was translated by a Croatian priest (later – bishop) Rafael Levaković, O.F.M. and was printed in 1631 in Glagolitic by order of Pope Urban VIII. Our copy is the 2nd revised edition of the Missal, published in Rome in 1706.

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Missale Romanum Slavonico idiomate iussu S.D.N. Urbani Octavi editum… Romae, typis Sac. Congreg. de Propaganda Fide, 1706 (2nd revised edition).
Call number: CL 264.6 M678

Breviarium Romanum Slavonico idiomate (Rome, 1688)

The Roman-Illyrian Breviary was the second volume to be published by the same translator. It came out of the printing press in 1648, after a long editorial process initiated by the Congregation of Propaganda Fide, which required the psalms to be consistent with the newly approved text of the Latin Bible. Our copy is the second printing of 1688.

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Breviarium Romanum Slavonico idiomate iussu S.D.N. Innocentii PP. XI editum… Romae, typis & ompensis Sac. Congreg. de Propaganda Fide, 1688.
Call number: CL 264.3 B846S 1688

Rituale Romanum [Illyrica lingua] (Rome, 1706)

Meanwhile, the Rituale Romanum, another important liturgical volume, was translated. This time, by a Jesuit Bartol Kašić (1575-1650) and not into the ancient Old-Croat-Slavonic, but into the vernacular. According to scholars, this edition “marks the beginning of the standardization of the Croat literary language” [1].

The volume was published in Rome in 1640 and, after a period of discussion and consideration, in Latin script. Nevertheless, this book is part of the same corpus of liturgical books published for Christians in Croatia by the Congregation of Propaganda Fide.

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Rituale Romanum Urbani VIII, Pont. Max. issue editum. Illyrica lingua… Romae, Ex typographia Sac. Congreg. de Propaganda Fide, 1640.
Call number: CL 264.12 R615

Azbukidarium Illyricum Hieronimianum (Rome, 1693)

An additional item in our Glagolitic collection is a small pamphlet that serves as an introduction to the script and language. It contains both the Glagolitic and Cyrillic versions of the alphabet, some basic words, abbreviations, and a few popular prayers. One can assume, it may have been a starting point for everyone willing to get familiar with the language.

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Azbvkidarivm Illyricum Hieronimianum, habens correspondentes characteres Cyrillianos, seu Seruianos, & Latinos, Romae, Typis Sacrae Congr. De Propaganda Fide, 1693.
Call number: CL 411 A456.

Research value

These books are not just another curiosity in our collection. Their unique content may be of interest to scholars of a range of disciplines, from church history and liturgy to Eastern European language and history studies.

The researchers willing to study them deeply will have to face countless questions about their history and purpose, translation techniques and language features, relationships between Western and Eastern Christians, missions among non-Catholics, such extinct traditions as Glagolitic and Aquileyan liturgical rites, and more.

One of the mysteries that puzzle our staff members is the controversy around the Slavic Psalter printed with the Breviary. The original, and rather standard text of the Psalter, commonly used by Eastern Orthodox Churches, was rejected by Rome, and a committee was established with a Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Methodius Terleckyj as its head with the task to review the text and make it consistent with the promulgated text of the Latin Vulgate. But how many corrections were made and how significant they were? How much the revisions were influenced by Ukrainian liturgical tradition [2]? These are some of the many intriguing questions one can encounter while approaching these volumes. And only they can provide an answer and help us to know our past better.

These books can be accessed by appointment in Rare Books (Mullen 214, lib-rarebooks@cua.edu) by any patron or researcher interested in studying them more closely.

Sources:

Thomson, F.J. (2005). The legacy of SS. Cyril and Methodius in the Counter-Reformation: The council of Trent and the question of scripture and liturgy in the vernacular, together with an account of the subsequent consequences for the Slavo-Latin (Glagolitic) rite and the Bible in Croatian translation. In E. Konstantinou (Ed.), Methodios und Kyrillos in ihrer Europäischen Dimension (Philhellenische Studien, 10)(pp. 87-246). Peter Lang. doi:10.1017/S0022046906429882, http://www.europa-zentrum-wuerzburg.de/unterseiten/Band10-Thomson.pdf

Žubrinić, D. (2009). Hrvatska glagoljička kultura s osvrtom na Francusku. Croatia: Overview of history, culture, and science. https://www.croatianhistory.net/etf/francegl.html

References:

[1] Thomson, 2005, p. 82.

[2] See Thomson, 2005, p. 78.

The Archivist’s Nook: Rare but Numerous – ‘Imitation of Christ’ in Rare Books

Posted on May 3, 2022 by Alex Audziayuk

Thomas à Kempis, De Imitatione Christi, Leiden, 1658

“Why do you need so many copies of the same work in your collection?” Such a question can be easily asked by any patron after finding in the library catalog that Rare Books houses 36 cataloged copies of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. It blows some people’s minds and raises questions: Why so many? Is not one or two copies enough, especially since there are multiple modern editions and translations available in the general stacks?

As the matter of fact, most of the books, pamphlets, and other kinds of resources housed in Rare Books are preserved on our shelves not only because of the text they contain (though this may be the case for some extremely rare or unique editions) but rather because of some other unique or special features of the books as physical objects, such as print and type, binding and tooling, illuminations and miniatures, paper and watermarks, corrections and marginalia (personal notes, images, and doodles left on margins by previous readers), bookplates and inscriptions, association with prominent historical figures, items left between the pages, and many more. Similar to twins, that develop unique features of their look and character as they grow, so the books even if they came out of the same printing press on the exact same day, will differ significantly in their appearance and each will have its own story to tell.

Scholars in various disciplines study rare books as objects that possess historical, evidential, and informational value through their physicality. They can provide insights on the history of book printing and binding, circulation and ownership, reading habits and purposes (both recreational and educational), aesthetic preferences, changes in society, and more. That’s what makes our books special: they are always ready to give a personal witness to the past.

Thomas a Kempis, De Imitatione Christi, Cologne, Germany, 1507 — Thomas à Kempis, De Imitatione Christi, Cologne, Germany, 1507

“The Imitation of Christ” is one of such popular works translated and reproduced abundantly through the centuries. It has always and continues to be deeply respected, loved, read, studied, and praised by many, religious and laypeople, artists and soldiers, and novelists and scholars alike. It has brought comfort to many historical figures, such as St. Theresa of Avila, George Eliot, Thomas Merton, and St. Thomas More, who, according to some, had a copy of The Imitatio with him while waiting for his execution, as well as fictional characters such as Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, who used to keep a copy at her bedside and read a few chapters every night. But the main reason, it has been chosen as the hero of this story is its astounding 600 years jubilee which we celebrate today.

Well, not exactly “today,” for we do not know the year in which De Imitatione Christi was composed. Various scholars agree only on the timeframe between 1410 and 1425, which gives us still plenty of time to commemorate the date and salute this great work. Though it first appeared anonymously, De Imitatione Christi is now commonly attributed to a German-Dutch canon regular and member of the modern devotional movement (aka Devotio Moderna) Thomas Hemmerken from the town of Kempen, better known as Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380 – 1471).

In homage to his inspirational work, we’d like to highlight today three of our special copies of The Imitation of Christ, offering also a glimpse into Rare Books holdings and encouraging everyone interested to come and see the original volumes in person.

A copy with a secret (Cologne, Germany, 1503)

Various museums and libraries in the U.S. and overseas preserve peculiar books that have a hidden compartment in their bindings. Sometimes it can be as wild as a place to hide a pistol. Our volume is not a book of a criminal or a smuggler, but rather of an early 16th-century passionate reader, who just wanted a convenient spot to keep their reading spectacles and to never have to ask one of the eternal questions of mankind: “where did I put my glasses?”

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An annotated copy (Cologne, Germany, 1507)

There are always people who like to make notes on the margins of a paper book one studies deeply: agreeing or arguing with the author, developing their own ideas about the topic, or recording insights and expanding the perspective. That is one of the ways to collaborate with the author and create a personal relationship with the book: both, the work and the object (Though we don’t encourage it in any other than one’s own books!). Another of our early 16th-century copies of the Imitatio, which was previously part of the collection of a book lover and our great donor Msgr. Arthur Connolly, holds marginal notes of a scholar who was deeply immersed in the text. It’s still waiting for its researchers who would like to transcribe and study the thoughts and insights of this early reader of the Imitation of Christ.

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The Musica Ecclesiastica (New York, 1891)

As a devotional work, The Imitation of Christ was meant to be not only studied by the educated but read and put into practice by anyone. To assist with that, there were numerous attempts conducted to translate it from Latin into vernacular languages making it accessible to everyone. There are multiple translations of the Imitatio known and available today, but in this unique late 19th-century American edition, the translator, an English theologian, Oxford professor, and a personal friend of Lewis Carroll, H. P. Liddon, endeavored to preserve its original beauty. According to him, the Imitatio was also called “Musica Ecclesiastica” or “The Church Music”, because of the rhythm and melody of the original Latin, which the translator wished to catch and preserve. Maybe it’s not as old as other copies that are shown here, but it is trying to be faithful to the original intent of the author as well as is faithful to the spirit of its own time: in its language, appearance, binding, and other features.

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Each one of these books, as well as any other copy of The Imitation of Christ in our collection, can be accessed by appointment in Rare Books (Mullen 214, lib-rarebooks@cua.edu) by any patron or researcher interested in studying them more closely.

Sources:

Becker, Kenneth Michael. From the Treasure-House of Scripture: an Analysis of Scriptural Sources in De Imitatione Christi. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols, 2002.
Thomas, à Kempis. The complete Imitation of Christ. Translated and commented by Father John-Julian. Brewster, Mass.: Paraclete Press, c2012.
Thomas à Kempis, De Imitatione Christi, Leiden, 1658