Gelasian Sacramentary

The Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Aeclesiae Ordinis Anni Circuli is the oldest and most complete extant manuscript of the Roman Sacramentary and the second oldest surviving Christian liturgical book. It has been falsely attributed to Pope Gelasius, although it may contain some of his prayers and prefaces, perhaps through the Leonine Sacramentary. The original text is believed to have been composed sometime in the mid-7th century because it contains modifications to the canon of the Mass introduced by Pope Gregory the Great but not Sergius I or Gregory II. Its contents are a mix of the official Roman Mass book from the 6th century with some Gallican traditions from the early-8th century. This manuscript from ca. 750 is a beautiful specimen of Merovingian illumination and calligraphy that blends artistic conventions from Late Antiquity with influences from Migration Period “barbarian” art. It is a historic codex that is believed to have been used by Saint Boniface during his mission on the European continent and was part of the personal library of Queen Christina of Sweden when it was acquired by the Vatican after her death in 1689.