Books of Private Devotion at the End of the Middle Ages – exhibition opening

2023/04/21

In honour of the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to Hungary, a chamber exhibition entitled “Lord, Hear My Prayer...” Books of Private Devotion at the End of the Middle Ages was opened on 21 April 2023 at the NSZL.

The exhibition presents the different types of Latin and vernacular manuscript and printed books used for private devotion in the late medieval Kingdom of Hungary and its wider surroundings. The seven codices and one print on display, together with complementary material available on digital media, will introduce visitors to the colourful world of late medieval prayer books.

The chamber exhibition is housed in a detached part of the library's Corvina exhibition space, which, in terms of atmosphere and size, offers a private chapel experience.

In his welcome speech, Dávid Rózsa, the Director General, noted that “during prayer we draw closer to God by finding ourselves and experiencing silence.”

The guest of honour at the opening of the exhibition was Cardinal Péter Erdő, who stressed that “Christianity is nothing but a revelation, a personal religious conviction. The exhibition now opening documents a personal spiritual experience.”

Gábor Sarbak, head of the Fragmenta et Codices Research Group of the ELKH-NSZL, curator of the exhibition, emphasized that the quoted prayer texts, which can be viewed on the walls and on the display, are still relevant today; they can still appeal to the open-hearted reader.

The exhibition is open free of charge from 22 April to 31 May 2023.
The exhibition is available in Hungarian and English.