Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper): The Missal of Berchem, dating to 1140, is Antwerp’s oldest book with 208 pages created at St. Michael’s Abbey. Recently moved to the Heritage Library, it can only be displayed briefly.
‘The Missal of Berchem’ is the oldest well-preserved book from Antwerp, dating back to around 1140. It was created at St. Michael’s Abbey, which no longer exists. The book has 208 pages and is entirely handwritten in old Gregorian script on paper. There were no printing presses, and paper was rare. This prayer book contains texts for priests to use during mass and some unusual chants.
What makes the Missal of Berchem a treasure of Antwerp?
The book has just arrived at the Heritage Library and will stay there. It probably moved from St. Michael’s Abbey to St. Willibrordus Church in Berchem around 1300 and was kept there for many years. The Church can’t take care of it anymore, so they sent it to the library. The curator said it’s now in Antwerp and will be stored in a special place away from light and dust. It’s rare to see the book because it can only be shown for a short time, and a page can only be opened once every five years. The book has also been digitized, people can look at it online, but it might be hard to read.
The visitors who saw the book were amazed. They looked at the old book with wide eyes. One visitor said, “I’m really happy I saw it. It’s sad for those who couldn’t.” Another person said, “Seeing the handwriting is incredible.” A third visitor shared, “I’m glad I got to see it. This library is beautiful, and it’s a great place for such a special book.”
