Veneration and Reverence for Sacred Books
The physical and liturgical veneration shown to sacred books throughout history: churches with twin shrines for Eucharist and Scripture, Jewish customs of kissing and not touching the Bible with unwashed hands, and miracles protecting sacred books from fire and sword.
Preface and Praise of Sacred Scripture
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Section One
— Two shrines in churches: one for the Eucharist, one for the sacred volumes of Scripture. Paulinus ordered verses inscribed in the church at Nola.
"there used to be two shrines in churches, placed on the right and left side of the apse: in one of which the sacred Eucharist was kept, and in the other the sacred volumes of divine Scripture"
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Section One
— Jews store the Torah magnificently in a tabernacle like the Eucharist; they do not touch it with unwashed hands, kiss it when opening and closing, and fast if it falls.
"the Jews in their synagogues store the law of Moses, as an oracle, magnificently in a tabernacle, just as we do the Sacred Eucharist... they take care not to touch the Bible with unwashed hands; they kiss it whenever they open and close it"
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Saintly Examples of Scripture Study
— St. Edmund of Canterbury read Scripture nightly; when a candle fell on the book, the codex was found completely intact and unharmed.
"the candle fell onto the book and the flame seized it. Waking up, he sighed, thinking the book burned, blew off the ashes clinging to the book, and behold, he marveled at the codex completely intact and unharmed"
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Moses as the Most Ancient Theologian, Philosopher, Poet, and Historian
— Under Diocletian, the faithful preferred to die rather than surrender sacred books; many obtained martyrdom for the sacred books.
"the faithful resisted, preferring to die rather than surrender them. Therefore many underwent a glorious contest for the sacred books, and obtained the triumphant laurel of martyrdom"
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Moses as the Most Ancient Theologian, Philosopher, Poet, and Historian
— When Bishop Fundanus surrendered the sacred books, a shower from a clear sky extinguished the fire, and hail devastated the region.
"suddenly a shower poured down from a clear sky, the fire that had been brought to the sacred books was extinguished, hail followed, and the entire region itself was devastated"
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Chapter IV: The Judgments and Examples of the Fathers
— St. Boniface held up a Gospel codex as a shield against the Frisians' sword; the book was cut through but not a single letter was destroyed.
"he held up this codex as a spiritual shield, and by a remarkable miracle, although the book was cut through the middle by the sharp sword, nevertheless not a single letter was destroyed"