The Apor Codex in good hands in Budapest
MúzeumCafé 12.
The 500-year-old Apor Codex, the fourth oldest Hungarian linguistic record, is being restored in the National Széchényi Library in Budapest. The manuscript has got to Hungary, following certain diplomatic struggles, from the Sekler National Museum in Transylvania. Like a baby, it requires careful cleaning and drying, yet demands more patience and attention. The codex is part of the first Hungarian Bible translation, that of the so-called Hussite Bible. It was probably scribed by Franciscan monks, though some scholars consider it the work of Premonstratensians or Benedictines – or even laymen. It was bound in the early 16th century by nuns from the Island of Rabbits (today Margaret Island in Budapest) who also copied some ecclesiastical texts. The codex was named in honour of its owner Baron Péter Apor. In 1877 a descendant donated the manuscript to the Sekler National Museum. The codex, which was published in a facsimile edition in the 1940s, actually survived World War II in Budapest (the transport of rare books westward from Transylvania was hit by a bomb, so many believed it was destroyed). The precious item was returned to the Sekler National Museum in 1953, following which it deteriorated due to the high acid content of its ink. The exhibition Hungarian Linguistic Records scheduled for the autumn will feature the Apor Codex as its main attraction alongside the Hussite Bible, which will be exhibited in its entirety for the first time. The National Széchényi Library is the proud holder of the Vienna Codex, the Apor Codex is now in the library and an agreement on the loan of the so-called Munich Codex held in Germany has been recently signed. Renewal of the Apor Codex will be completed only in October, restoration being the art of patience, humility and precision. The manuscript is returned to the Sekler National Museum.