first quarter of the 9th century / 9th-14th centuries
Language
Latin
Title
Evangelistary ("Liber viventium")
Description
The Liber viventium Fabariensis is likely the most important
surviving work of Rhaetish book art. This manuscript was originally
designed as an Evangelistary and richly adorned with initials,
frames for canonical tables and full-page illustrations of the
symbols of the four evangelists. Starting in 830 the names of monks
who joined the monastic community were listed in the empty
canonical table frames, together with living and deceased
benefactors of the abbey. In addition to its function as
evangelistary, memorial and record of the monastic brotherhood, the
Liber viventium was later also used to preserve the historial
records and treasure catalog of Pfäfers Abbey. Because of the
legal importance of the Liber viventium up to modern times, the
volume is housed in the archival collection of Pfäfers Abbey.
