Ancient manuscript returns to Italy after centuries
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Charles IV, the King of Bohemia and Roman Emperor, requested sixteen parchment sheets from his half-brother, the Patriarch of Aquileia in northeastern Italy, for the treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.
Charles believed the manuscript contained the ending of the Gospel of Mark and was written by Saint Mark himself, making it a valuable relic. He recorded the acquisition on the parchment and ordered a celebratory procession upon its arrival in Prague.
The fragment Charles IV obtained has remained in excellent condition, while the Venetian portion of the manuscript deteriorated due to the humid lagoon environment. For decades, experts have sought to reunite the manuscript’s pieces, and they recently succeeded with a temporary exhibition at the Palazzo Meizlik in Aquileia, Italy. Officials transported the Prague fragment to Italy in a special, robust case designed for jungle conditions, prioritizing security over publicity during the two-year loan negotiation.
The manuscript will be on display for only the first six weeks of the exhibition because of the delicate nature of the parchment, after which a nearly indistinguishable facsimile will take its place.
