Sr. Ona Mikaila

NEW LITHUANIAN BIBLE

Sr. Ona Mikaila is a writer and editor of Bendradarbis, and belongs to the order of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Lithuanian order in Putnam, Connecticut.

A new translation of the entire Bible into Lithuanian was published in Vilnius in December of 1998. Sponsored by the Lithuanian Catholic Bishops’ Conference headed by Archbishop Audrys Backis, this is now the official Bible approved by the Catholic Church in Lithuania.

This new translation of the Bible into Lithuanian is unique because it contains both the books of the Old Testament and of the New Testament in one volume. The translation has been made from the original languages -- Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

The Bible is in hard cover totaling 2,000 pages. It is similar in appearance to the Jerusalem Bible. Copies have now reached the USA and are being sold at various Lithuanian-American bookstores.

Monsignor Anthony Rubšys, Scripture professor at Manhattan College, is responsible for the translation of the Old Testament and is general editor of the entire volume. Father Ceslovas Kavaliauskas of Lithuania translated the New Testament. These two noteworthy Lithuanian Scripture scholars have also provided readable and informative introductions to all the books of the Bible, as well as footnotes elucidating the text.

The design and layout of the text was done by Dr. Jonas Boguta of Kovas Desktop Publishing in Cicero, Illinois. The Lithuanian Catholic World Publishing House in Vilnius added illustrations and maps; while, the printing and binding were done at the new printery in Kaišiadorys.

This handsome new publication was introduced to the Lithuanian public at the close of l998 through two seminars held at the Vilnius Seminary on December 17th at the University of Vilnius on December 21st. The Lithuanian hierarchy and many notable scholars were present.

Archbishop Audrys Backis noted that the publication of this new Bible in Lithuanian is an event of the greatest importance for our nation. "This is a great spiritual and cultural achievement, a wonderful gift for the faithful Catholics of Lithuania who will be joining the Christian world as it celebrates the second millennium of Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh."

Lithuanians in the USA and Canada are celebrating the publication of this new Lithuanian Bible by organizing special presentations of the book to interested audiences in Lemont and Chicago, New York, Toronto, and other places.

This monumental work was produced due to the cooperation of many people in the Lithuanian Community in the USA and in Lithuania. Overseas Lithuanians were very generous with their financial support for this publication.

Monsignor Anthony Rubšys, a native Lithuanian by birth and living in the U.S. for almost 50 years, has been honored for his work on the Bible with the International Award of Lithuania received in 1995. He has been elected president of the Lithuanian Bible Society, which is now publishing an ecumenical Bible in Lithuanian. This edition will be acceptable to Christian communities of various denominations in Lithuania and overseas.