Just prior to the iconic ArtPrize 2026, held in Grand Rapids from Sept. 18 to Oct. 3, a much smaller, though not insignificant, art exhibition made an appearance in Oceana County. Volume Six of the Saint John’s Bible was on display Sept. 15 at the Trinity Health Lakeshore Hospital campus, where it was available for viewing by the community as part of its five-month tour.
Spiritual Care Manager for Trinity Health Allison Fisher Mannies gave visitors a brief tour of the book and the chance to experience this unique piece of literature and art firsthand. Trinity Health System owns two full copies of the Saint John’s Bible, Fisher Mannies said. Volume Six (which includes the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and the Acts of the Apostles) has been on display in the Trinity Health Muskegon lobby since June.
According to the Saint John’s Bible website, “In 1998, Saint John’s Abbey and University commissioned renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson to produce a hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible. This work of art unites ancient Benedictine tradition with the technology and vision of today, illuminating the Word of God for a new millennium.”
“The calligraphy and art are really what sets this Bible apart,” Fisher Mannies said. “The work, which took 15 years to complete, was a team effort led by artistic director Donald Jackson. He, along with a team of six scribes, and 23 different artists and craftspeople worked on writing and illuminating the pages.”
The original Saint John’s Bible is actually bigger in size, Fisher Mannies explained. “A total of 299 copies were produced from the original Saint John’s Bible, and of those, Trinity Health owns two copies. Each copy is made up of seven volumes and includes every book of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.”
The Saint John’s Bible is written completely using calligraphy script and is accompanied by stunning and thought-provoking artwork throughout.
The Saint John’s Bible will be on display in the lobby of Trinity Health Muskegon until Friday, Oct. 23. Trinity Health’s Spiritual Care Department will host a special viewing of the Bible on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where visitors will be able to see the Bible up close, share their own observations and ask questions.
“It's been a great part of the experience seeing the Bible through other people’s eyes. Every time I show it, people see things I haven’t seen, or I personally notice something different,” Fisher Mannies said.
Anyone interested in more information can visit saintjohnsbible.org.
