Biblical meetings

The exhibition of the Székesfehérvár Diocesan Museum (24 May – 9 November 2008)

MúzeumCafé 6.

The Székesfehérvár diocese is commemorating several events with the exhibition – the ‘Year of the Bible’ announced by the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the 70th anniversary of the Diocesan Museum’s foundation and the 10th jubilee of its renewal, and the succession to the throne of King Matthias. The exhibition already attracted over 1300 visitors on the Night of Museums in June and interest has been increasing ever since. The Holy Scripture is being celebrated with several church events and exhibitions throughout Hungary – of these the exhibition in Székesfehérvár excels by focusing on teaching, engaging in a mission to introduce the Bible in a new way. The underlying principle is that the Bible is the locus of determining interaction between God and humanity. Elaboration of this special theme is mainly attributable to the museum’s director, Gergely Mózessy, and the curator, András Smohay, who were assisted by noted specialists, including Dr. János Székely, Dr. Zoltán Szilárdfy and Dr. Katalin Velenczei. The outstanding exhibition brings together some rare Renaissance and Baroque paintings, e.g. The Visitation by Franz Anton Maulbertsh from Pannonhalma Abbey, engravings and paintings by Gottfried Bernhard Göz, contemporary paintings depicting biblical themes, a proof page of the 1590 Vizsoly Bible, Bibles published in various languages, e.g. Chinese, Arabic and Icelandic, and Jewish religious objects from the Hungarian Jewish Museum.