Page - 15 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/01

Materiality of Religious Books | 15www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/1, 13–32 terials (fig. 1). In the document Sacrosanctum Concilium, article 122, which also speaks of sacred art more generally, the Second Vatican Council stated: Very rightly the fine arts are considered to rank among the noblest activities of man’s genius, and this applies especially to religious art and to its highest achievement, which is sacred art. These arts, by their very nature, are ori- ented toward the infinite beauty of God which they attempt in some way to portray by the work of human hands; they achieve their purpose of redound- ing to God’s praise and glory in proportion as they are directed the more exclusively to the single aim of turning men’s minds devoutly toward God.3 Is this theorem applicable also to religious books – no ifs or buts? 3 http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_ const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html [accessed 3 December 2020]. Fig. 1: A feature of book luxury: the head band of a book of high artistic quality. (Photo: E. Renhart)