The Hornbach Sacramentary is an important work of Ottonian book
decoration. It was made before 983 at Reichenau for the Benedictine
Abbey of Hornbach (Palatinate). The manuscript is also called the
"Eburnant-Codex" in honor of the scribe who wrote it. It was
probably acquired by the Cathedral library at Solothurn in 1439. It
is listed as item No. 38, Colleccionarius Antiquus, in the catalog
of provost Felix Hemmerli. The political programme of Charlemagne
included the standardization of religious life following the
example of the Roman liturgy from the time of Pope Gregory the
Great. To follow this practice, one used a "sacramentary"
containing the prescribed prayers and mass texts. This version was
replaced by the "missale curiae" in about 1220.
