The Codex Purpureus Rossanensis, a 1600-year-old book believed to be the world’s oldest illustrated book, will go on permanent display in a state-of-the-art setting in the small Calabrian town where it was discovered in the 19th century.
The book follows the Biblical stories according to Matthew and Mark, with colored illustrations and Greek text in gold and silver ink on dyed parchment. It has just undergone three years of restoration in Rome. It is believed to have been written in Syria about 400 AD. Time has taken a toll on it, but 188 pages remain.
Nothing is known of how the book arrived in Rossano, where it was found by chance in the sacristy of the local church in 1876.
Needless to say, the town is expecting lots of visitors. Anna Russo, a spokesperson for the diocese of Rossano, told reporters “We are expecting many national and international visitors, making the book’s exhibition important not just for our town but for the whole of Calabria.”
