Page - 24 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/01

24 | Erich Renhart www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/1, 13–32 The Book’s Enthronement In the ecclesial tradition we find the remarkable phenomenon of a book dis- played on a decorated seat, representing a throne scene.12 Christian iconogra- phy contains plenty of frescoes depicting the enthroned book, for example on wall paintings in many Orthodox churches, with the book usually resting on the pillow of a throne-stool. Sometimes we encounter this motif miniaturised in a manuscript or realised architecturally, for example as a bema throne cut in stone in North Syrian churches of the first millennium. The opened book stands for the praesentia Domini – the Lord’s presence. This iconographic representation was chosen for a limited number of situa- tions, such as the opening of a synod or ecclesiastical council13 (the message: your discussions and decisions here are performed before God’s eyes and with the help of the Holy Spirit; the open book displayed the pericope of Pentecost, or the Last Judgement, with its unwavering final decision). Such extraordinary cases give the book (the Bible or Gospel book) a central place in expressing a theologically most important idea. We cannot imagine a similar significance if a paperback book was enthroned. These are cases where we intuitively expect a book in its best material form. We should feel a dignity emanating from the book itself, even before or without reading from it. I propose an equation here: the most important ideas (contents), demand the most noteworthy materiality (form). Liturgical Veneration In various liturgical celebrations we find acts of book veneration. The most fre- quent and most readily perceived involves kissing the Gospel book.14 I cannot recall any case in which a liturgical book itself (missal, sacramentary, choir book, breviary, etc.) has been the immediate object of veneration. Rather, reverence is expressed towards God, God’s Word (Holy Scriptures) and espe- cially God’s life (Gospels). It is no wonder that these books are given most attention among all our religious books and most sumptuous material expres- 12 Renhart 1995, Von Bogyay 1960, 1971, 1973 and Durand 1867. 13 See the famous depiction in Cod. graec. 510 of the Bibliothèque nationale in Paris: Walter 1970 and Brubaker 1985. 14 Other such acts include processions and the act of transferring books. On kissing (of the altar, Gospel book and Cross) as part of the liturgy see Vereecke 1990, esp. 511, and Jungmann 1951, 210–211.