CATHOLIC CHURCH

Remembering Religion’s Legacy of Preserving Knowledge on This International Day of Education

In addition to practical knowledge, the monasteries were also the last refuge for scholarly knowledge. One of the principal occupations of monks was copying ancient manuscripts. The practice started in the sixth century at the Vivarium monastery in Italy, whose library was endowed by the Roman Senator Cassiodorus. Thereafter, a primary role of that monastery was to copy manuscripts, ensuring the continuation of Western knowledge, while preserving literacy amongst its initiates. The practice spread to other monasteries until most had established “scriptoria”—rooms where ancient literature was transcribed by monks.

Verbal Vandals

By Stacy Sass I was standing in front of my Church with my family and some friends, lingering and chatting after a particularly pleasant fellowship the other evening, when a couple of kids walked by and shouted the name of a famous member of my religion in the general direction of the group of us.