Research Principal James Hamilton displays the Signet Library’s extraordinary collection to His Eminence Cardinal Fernando Filoni.
Last week the WS Society hosted a visit organised by Brigadier Joe d’Inverno WS, who was conducting a visit by His Eminence Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (seen in image 1). One of the Papal Orders of Knighthood, the Order dates from 1099. Along with several Knights of the Order (of which Brigadier d’Inverno is one), the Cardinal’s party on his visit to the Signet Library was accompanied by the Most Reverend Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St Andrews, the Lord Justice Clerk, Lady Dorrian, and Reverend Sigred Marten, Minister of the High Kirk of St Giles.
Guided by the Society’s Principal Researcher, James Hamilton, the party inspected an extraordinary collection of manuscripts, maps (image 3), and prints (image 5) from the Signet Library’s collections. This included the first book to be printed in St Andrews (1552) and the oldest musical notation (image 2) in Scotland (from a Gregorian chant, c. 1020). Also on show was manuscript fragment from the reign of Mary Queen of Scots (image 4).
