La Biblia Sagrada

6B Vulgata Latina. Latin Vulgate in Spanish. New York: A. Chandler Stereotyped Edition, 1829.

Notes

The Bible was central to the early history of printing in Europe, beginning most famously with Johannes Gutenberg’s 42-line Bible around 1455, the first major book printed with movable metal type in the West. Early printed Bibles were typically in Latin (the Vulgate) and intended for clergy and scholars, but the Reformation in the 16th century dramatically expanded Bible printing in vernacular languages such as German, English, and French. Advances in printing technology, increased literacy, and religious reform movements made the Bible one of the most widely printed and distributed texts in history, with printers refining typography, layout, chapter divisions, and verse numbering to improve usability for study and worship.

The Latin Vulgate Bible, originally translated by St. Jerome in the late 4th century, became the standard Bible of the Catholic Church for over a millennium, and it served as the basis for many vernacular translations, including Spanish. The first complete Spanish translation from the Vulgate appeared in the late 15th century, most notably the Biblia Alfonsina(commissioned by King Alfonso X in earlier manuscript forms) and later printed editions such as the Biblia del Oso(1569) by Casiodoro de Reina, which, although influenced by the Protestant Reformation, relied heavily on the Vulgate’s textual tradition alongside Hebrew and Greek sources. Spanish translations of the Vulgate played a critical role in making the scriptures accessible to Spanish-speaking Catholics, shaping both religious practice and the development of the Spanish language. These editions were often carefully censored or authorized to comply with Church orthodoxy, reflecting the tension between devotional accessibility and doctrinal control.

Description

Brown leather with gold tooling around edge, beautiful spine with gold tooling design and bible label, three edge marbling, intact, clam shell encasing lovely bible, very good condition.

Dimensions: 8 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches