The Saint Mary's University Salzinnes Antiphonal

A liturgical manuscript from 1554, written in Latin, the Salzinnes Antiphonal reveals a unique insight into the spiritual and cultural lives of the nuns of the Cistercian Abbey of Salzinnes in Namur, present day Belgium. It features text and music, as well as several full-page illuminations of biblical scenes.

About the Salzinnes Antiphonal

The Salzinnes Antiphonal was hand made in 1554-55 for Dame Julienne de Glymes, Cantrix and Prioress at the Abbey of Salzinnes, Diocese of Liege, Namur, present day Belgium. In addition to the text and music for the Divine Office, the manuscript includes full page illuminations of biblical scenes, historiated initials and numerous pen-foliated initials. However, of particular rarity is the full-length representation of thirty-four nuns who lived in the Abbey, together with their names in regional script.

Destroyed in the French Revolutionary Wars in 1794, the Abbey of Salzinnes no longer exists. All that remains is the remnants of a gateway, Porte St. Julienne.

The Antiphonal and Saint Mary's University

The antiphonal was brought to Halifax in the 1840's by Bishop William Walsh, the first Archbishop for the Catholic Diocese of Halifax. It resided in the official residence of then-Archbishop James M. Hayes until the early 1970's. In 1975 Saint Mary's University opened a new library, named in honour of Mr. Patrick Power, a prominent 19th century citizen of Halifax. To help mark the occasion, Archbishop Hayes donated the antiphonal to the new library on behalf of the Archdiocese of Halifax.

The antiphonal remained in the Rare Book collection of the library until it was loaned to the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in March 2000 for an exhibition of religious artifacts. It stayed at the Gallery while Judy Dietz, Associate Curator of Historical European Art and a graduate student at Saint Mary's, was working on a Master's thesis centred on the manuscript.

The antiphonal is currently at the Canadian Conservation institute in Ottawa for restoration work.

Please do not reproduce text or images without the permission of the Saint Mary's University Library. Images by Judy Dietz; text by Judy Dietz and Ron Houlihan.

This page last modified Wednesday, 14-Sep-2011 15:39:56 ADT