The Gospel and Saint Francis: The Word Becomes Life

The edition includes

• The artisanal facsimile of the Lectiones evangeliorum Clm 21597, in a limited and numbered edition.
• Polychrome print of St. Francis receiving the stigmata on 23 kt gold leaf.
• The commentary accompanying the work
• The certificate of authenticity with the specimen number.
• The 60-month warranty certificate.
• The facsimile box set and the display stand dedicated to the print.

Why this edition is unique

• Only 300 numbered copies, with a strong collectible character.
• A rare dialogue between a facsimile of an illuminated Gospel and the image of Saint Francis receiving the stigmata.
• Italian craftsmanship with quality materials and high-quality workmanship.
• Authenticity documented with a dedicated certificate.
• Symbolic value strengthened by the reference to the VIII Centenary of the death of
• Saint Francis (1226–2026).
• A work designed to be preserved, exhibited and passed down.

Who is it intended for?

• Collectors of facsimiles, valuable books, and works of sacred art.
• Scholars and enthusiasts of Franciscan spirituality, the history of books, and illuminated manuscripts.
• Libraries, foundations, cultural and religious institutions that desire a work that expresses their identity.
• For those seeking a refined, rare, and memorable gift that combines beauty, meaning, and prestige.

Technical data

• Title of the manuscript: Lectiones evangeliorum.
• Signature: Clm 21597.
• Conservation library: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich.
• Date of original manuscript: 1462.
• Size: 23,8 × 32,6 cm.
• Consistency: 42 sheets.
• Facsimile printing technique: fine art.
• Facsimile finishes: gold and silver foil.
• Support: hand-treated parchment paper.
• Stitching: handcrafted on strings.
• Binding: full grain leather with gold embossing.
• Presentation of the facsimile: elegant box set.
• Edition: limited and numbered to 300 copies.
• Printing technique: polychrome print on 23 kt gold leaf.
• Press presentation: Plexiglass housing.

Guarantees and services

• 60-month warranty on original defects of the work.
• Insured shipping, with dedicated protective packaging and security seal.
• 30-day right of withdrawal for private customers.
• Payment options include a deposit or customized solutions.
• Certificate of authenticity indicating the work’s title, owner, edition number, and copy number.
• Direct support via email and WhatsApp before and after purchase.

Extended description of the work

Some works are not created simply to be admired, but to be embraced. The Gospel and Saint Francis: The Word That Becomes Life brings together in a single project the facsimile of the Lectiones evangeliorum CLM 21597 and a print of Saint Francis receiving the stigmata, creating a profound dialogue between the written Word and the life that embodies it.

These are not two elements simply juxtaposed, but a composition conceived as a unified whole: the manuscript preserves the Word in its noblest form, while the image of Saint Francis shows its fulfillment in a fully evangelical life. The value of the work arises precisely from this relationship: an encounter between sacred text, image, matter, and testimony.

The project is aimed at those who recognize in the ancient book not only a historical testimony, but also a living cultural presence. For this reason, the work speaks not only to the collector, but also to the scholar, the institution, the spiritually sensitive reader, and anyone who wishes to preserve an object capable of combining beauty, meaning, and memory.

The facsimile of Lectiones evangeliorum Clm 21597

This facsimile captures the full visual and spiritual power of an extraordinarily valuable illuminated manuscript, preserved at the Bavarian State Library in Munich. Created in 1462 for private devotion in Weihenstephan, the Lectiones evangeliorum presents a refined balance between the sacredness of the text, the richness of decoration, and the material presence of the page.

Mineral pigments, gold and silver foil decorations, hand-treated parchment paper, and artisanal binding combine to create a highly refined editorial object. The facsimile does more than simply reproduce the manuscript’s content: it conveys its presence, visual rhythm, material warmth, and contemplative quality.

Hand-bound, with a leather cover and hand-stitched cords, this facsimile is intended for collectors, scholars, and art book lovers. It is not simply a reproduction of a sacred text, but a faithful rendition of a beauty that belongs to the highest tradition of Western manuscripts.

The print of St. Francis receiving the stigmata

The print accompanying the volume depicts the moment when Saint Francis receives the stigmata, the visual and spiritual fulfillment of the entire project. Based on a painting by Dono Doni, it is a polychrome print on 23-karat gold leaf and is housed in a plexiglass case that enhances its display presence.

Alongside the Gospel, the image of the Saint serves a symbolic, not an ornamental, function. It points to the evangelical path and makes visible a life entirely conformed to the Word. At the same time, the quality of the execution and the preciousness of the materials make it an independent work, worthy of collection, contemplation, and display in private or institutional spaces.

Why the Gospel and St. Francis are still important today

The value of this work stems from the dialogue between two central poles of Christian tradition: the Gospel as the source of the Word and Saint Francis as a living example of full evangelical adherence. Bringing together in a single editorial and artistic project, these two elements shape an object that is not only collectible, but also a source of contemplation and cultural testimony.

The Lectiones evangeliorum Clm 21597, created in 1462 for private devotion, captures the charm of the illuminated manuscript in its most authentic form: material, light, gold, the rhythm of the page, and the silence of the sacred text. Its facsimile reproduction today allows us to engage with an otherwise inaccessible treasure, respecting its historical dignity and formal excellence.

Alongside the facsimile, the image of Saint Francis receiving the stigmata makes visible the transformation of the Word into life. The figure of the Saint is not simply an iconographic complement here, but the spiritual key to the entire project: he points the way to a faith lived, incarnated, fully conformed to the Gospel.

For this reason too, the work acquires a particular symbolic force in the context of the eighth centenary of the death of Saint Francis, between 1226 and 2026. The reference to the centenary increases its cultural relevance and strengthens its value as an edition to be preserved, exhibited, and passed down.

Owning The Gospel and Saint Francis: The Word That Becomes Life therefore means preserving a work that unites spirituality, art, book history, and Italian craftsmanship. It is a rare offering, capable of speaking to collectors, scholars, and anyone seeking a work of great symbolic intensity that expresses its identity.

Why buy it?

Owning The Gospel and Saint Francis: The Word That Becomes Life means engaging with a work that unites manuscript, image, spirituality, and craftsmanship. It’s a gift designed to last, represent value, and convey meaning over time.

Here, the value of the facsimile, the preciousness of the 23 kt gold leaf printing, the limited edition, and the reference to the Franciscan Centenary are not accessory elements: they are the core identity that makes this edition immediately recognizable and suitable for private collections, specialized libraries, institutions, and prestigious gifts.

Frequently Asked Questions: Everything you want to know about the Gospel facsimile and Saint Francis

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