Produced in the thirteenth century, this Psalter shows evidence of heavy use. An “instructions for use” found on the back pastedown calls for the Psalter to be left in the choir so that every sister can read it. Thus, the Psalter came from a convent of women. Since St. Catherine is particularly emphasized in the calendar, it could have belonged to the convent of Dominican women of St. Catherine in St. Gall. Decoration consists of red and blue pen-flourished initials. In addition, the liturgical eight-part division as well as the three-part division of the Psalter are highlighted with larger painted initials, which are partially adorned with silver and gold ink. Following the Psalms, starting on p. 240, are the biblical Cantica, Credo, Te Deum, Symbolum Athanasianum and a litany. A few leaves were replaced in the fifteenth and fourteenth/fifteenth century (pp. 95–98, 257–264). Two quires of a breviary in the same hand as pp. 257–264 are bound to the litany (pp. 269–288). In the same hand, an incomplete calendar (July to December) with names of the month in German precedes the Psalter (pp. 1–12). Originally the calendar probably consisted of two quires, of which only the last leaf of the first quire and the complete second quire remain. On the front pastedown is glued the bookplate of Prince-Abbot Beda Angehrn (abbot 1767-1796). (sno)

Online Since: 12/14/2022

The manuscript was copied in 1775 by Fr. Romano (Romanus) Fromenwiller for the Prince-Abott Beda Angehrn of Saint Gall most probably at the Abbey of Saint Gall. It is a shortened copy of the two parts from the book Theasaurus linguæ Armenicæ (Արամեան լեզուին գանձ), published by Joachim Schröder in 1711 in Amsterdam. The main content of the manuscript is the Ecclesiæ armenicæ confessio (Part 3 of the Theasaurus linguæ Armenicæ), which is followed by an alphabetical table, accompanied by a transliteration of the Armenian letters into Latin characters, copied from Part 2 of the Theasaurus linguæ Armenicæ. (gri)

Online Since: 09/26/2017

This vesperal in a distinguished binding was commissioned by Prince-Abbot Beda Angehrn (1767−1796); it was written in 1774 by Joseph Adam Bürke (chronogram with the name of the scribe on p. 92), an alumnus of the Gymnasium (preparatory school) of Neu St. Johann that was led by St. Gall monks, and richly illustrated by Father Notker Grögle (1740−1816). The volume contains the incipits of the chants for Vespers (antiphons and hymns), written in German plainsong notation (“Hufnagelnotation”) on five lines, for the feasts of Jesus Christ and of the saints for the entire liturgical year. It is divided into the parts Proprium de tempore (pp. 1−36), Proprium sanctorum (pp. 37−80) and Commune sanctorum (pp. 81−92). This manuscript was held in the choir library of St. Gallen Cathedral until 1989. Then it was transferred to the archives of the cathedral parish of St. Gall, and in 2014 it came to the Abbey Library of St. Gall. The volume, which consisted of 96 pages in 1774, was certainly used for the liturgy in the Cathedral of St. Gall until the 1930s. The mostly handwritten additions and supplements (after p. 97) date from the 19th century. Also glued and bound into the volume are texts from unspecified printed liturgical publications of the 19th and early 20th century. Noteworthy among the illustrations is the oldest pictorial depiction to date of the newly built “Gallusmünster”, today the Cathedral of St. Gall (p. 72). On the flyleaf is the finely drawn coat of arms of Prince-Abbot Beda Angehrn. (smu)

Online Since: 09/26/2017