March 12: The Gutenberg Bible

On March 12, 1455, future Pope Aeneas Piccolomini sent a letter to his friend, Cardinal Carvajal.

In the letter, he raved about the new Bible that was being produced by the German inventor Johann Gutenberg. “Nothing has been exaggerated about that amazing man near Frankfurt,” writes the astonished priest. He marvels that the letters were written with such clarity that they could be read without glasses, but regrets that the Bibles are nearly impossible to buy—being sold out before they are even completed.

This is the earliest existing record of the famous Gutenberg Bible.

Johann Gutenberg has been called the most influential man of the last millennium. His breakthrough invention of the first movable-type printing press was a watershed event that drastically changed the landscape of European society. For the first time, written material could be printed in mass quantities and at speeds never seen before.

The first book to be printed was the Gutenberg Bible—a masterpiece that combined the new innovation with hand-drawn illustrations. Gutenberg used the Latin Vulgate, the international standard version of his day.

Gutenberg’s work would allow for the widespread communication of ideas. It would create higher levels of accountability for corrupt leadership. It would become the backbone of the great advancements of science, education, and industry that would sweep through Europe. It would pave the way for the protestant reformation—a great storm cloud that was about to break in Germany.

Most importantly for Johann Gutenberg, his work would allow every Christian, from the nobleman to the peasant, a chance to own a Bible for himself. As the first Bible rolled off the printing press, Gutenberg started a machine that would keep gaining speed for the next 500 years. The Bible continues to be the best-selling book of all time and the single most influential piece of literature in the world.

Verse of the day: Matthew 10:27
What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.