1/2 The gradual by Johannes van Deventer (photo: Jos Verkuijlen)
It is a real step into the Middle Ages. In the Crosier Monastery of Saint Agatha, you can view books from the ancient library of this historic building. This is special, because the books could always only be viewed by the residents of the complex or scientists. A song book from around the year 1500 is the jewel of the collection. A book of 22 kilos and 600 parchment pages.
Johan Oosterman is Professor of Older Dutch Literature at Radboud University Nijmegen and he is also on the board of the Sint Aegten Foundation, which manages the heritage of the monastic order in Sint Agatha. The library, which falls under this, is a real candy store for Oosterman. There are six thousand books from before 1800.
The gradual by Crosier Johannes van Deventer – a book full of Gregorian chants – is the most exceptional. It looks like you imagine a medieval book. Full of graceful letters and colorful images. The book was made around 1500.
“It’s been in the same place for over 500 years.”
“When I first joined the board, I asked if I could see it. And that was allowed. I was allowed to hold it and flip through it.” Oosterman beams when he talks about it. These kinds of books are very rare. So that you can see it up close. Yes, that is really special.”
The book is heavy, it weighs 22 kilos. “It was made by one of the Crosiers who lived here in this monastery,” says the professor. “It is completely handwritten and decorated. It has always been used here. It has been sung from here. The fact that it has remained in the same place for more than five hundred years is truly unique.”
“Oldest library in the Netherlands.”
The Monastery of Saint Agatha was built in 1371. Oosterman: “There must have been a library right away, certainly from the early 1400s. This makes it the oldest library in the Netherlands that has always remained in the same place.” It is so special that the library is now on the list of Protected Cultural Heritage. Moreover, it is so valuable that it may never leave the Netherlands.
All those centuries, the books were only visible to the Crosiers living in the monastery. “The books are very vulnerable,” says Oosterman. “They are now in an air-conditioned safe.” Now everyone can catch a glimpse of the books. There is an exhibition in the monastery where the most special books of the library can be seen. Including the gradual by Johannes van Deventer. It just doesn’t include leaves. The huge book is safely behind glass.