I don’t know if there are tangible wonders, but I am naming the Book of Kells as one of them.

I went to Ireland a few years ago (2019), and one of the places we visited was Trinity College, where we saw the Book of Kells. Entering a dimly lit room, the 1,200-year-old book is encased in glass. It is somewhat irritating that we had to feel hurried as there is such a crowd trying to push through. The walls are covered in magnified wallpaper of the manuscript pages. This book is fascinating to me, and here are some of my thoughts. 

The oldest bound book in the world is enshrined behind glass.
A great prestige for Trinity College.
This precious manuscript was most likely created by monks from the wind-swept island of Iona, Scotland, then to County Meath, city of Kells, twelve hundred years ago, who labored over the calfskins.
These calfskins – scraped with a pumice, stretched, cut, and flattened.
Then, the vellum is colored with brilliant inks of purples, lilacs, reds, pinks, greens, blues and yellows, from lead, orpiment, and lapis lazuli.

The Four Gospels, based on Vulgate, are presented.
The Four Evangelists, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, are depicted as man, lion, calf, and eagle, spread throughout the 150 calfskin pages of water and lime, scraped with pumice, stretched, cut, and flattened.

The illustrators, better known as the illuminators, worked diligently, possibly for 30 years or more, while practicing obedience, chastity, and poverty.

While bowing seven times a day, while exerting in the garden, fishing, beekeeping, or singing: Ánima Christi, sanctífica me. Corpus Christi, salva me. Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Illuminating the text, day after day.
Some were more creative – adding miniatures of humans, mythical beasts, and animals.
The insular art of deep purple, reds, and yellows while fasting, and creating stunningly complex details.

Virgin and the Child, the Temptation of Christ, or the Arrest of Jesus.

The scribes in their scriptorium, goose feather quills in hand, dreaming, creating, ornamenting.
Eight beatitudes, four embellished swans, four embellished humans.
Symbolic ichthus fish for Jesus Christ, son of God, Savior.

One hundred and fifty-eight complex interlacements of white ribbon, complicated knot work, interweaving when there was no magnifying glass.
So devoted to God’s work, and their craft.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me.

After seeing the book, we entered the Long Room, where one can view the oldest harp and the new sculptures of women, including scientist Rosalind Franklin and author Mary Wollstonecraft.