It was first recorded in
Lorsch Abbey (
Germany), for which it was presumably written, and where it was mentioned as
Evangelium scriptum cum auro pictum habens tabulas eburneas in the catalogue of the Abbey's library, compiled in 830 under Abbot Adelung. Considering gold letters in the manuscript and its location at Lorsch, it was named the
Codex Aureus Laurensius. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, the library of Lorsch was one of the best libraries of the world. In the 16th century the
manuscript was taken to
Heidelberg (Otto Heinrich removed the contents of the library to Heidelberg, creating the famous
Bibliotheca Palatina, just prior to Lorsch's dissolution in 1563), from whence it was stolen in 1622 during the
Thirty Years' War; in order to be easy to sell, the
codex was broken in two and the covers torn off. The richly illustrated first half reached the
Migazzi Library and after that was sold to Bishop
Ignác Batthyány (1741 – 1798). This section is now in Alba Iulia,
Romania, and belongs to the Batthyaneum Library founded by the bishop. The second half is in the
Vatican Library. The front cover, with famous
ivory reliefs in a classicising style of
Christ treading on the beasts and
archangels, is in the
Vatican Museums, and the back cover, with the
Virgin and Child with saints, angels and a
Nativity of Christ below, is in the
Victoria and Albert Museum in
London. The back cover of the Lorsch Gospels is divided into five panels, with a representation of the
Virgin and Child seated on a throne in the center and
John the Baptist and Zacharius on the sides. John the Baptist is on the left holding a scroll, while on the right Zacharius is holding incense. In the top panel there is a circular medallion framing a bust of Christ held up by two angels. In the bottom panel is a depiction of the Nativity, with Joseph, Mary, and the Christ Child in a manger. This is the scene of the birth of Christ in
Bethlehem. Judging from the placement of the figures within the architectural arches, it looks as if they are taking up all of the space. The figure's shoulders are rounded as well as their stomachs and thighs, and the bottom halves of their bodies are covered by their linear drapery. A full digital version of the manuscript is available online from a number of sources. In May 2023, the manuscript was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. ==Notes==