The exhibition organized for the Day of Open Doors in the Bibliothēkē of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization presents a series of rare religious tomes (both originals and facsimilies) drawn from the Emil Constantinescu Collection – notable family heirlooms and editions received from political and religious leaders from across the world, but also from international foundations and organizations with which the President of the Scientific Council of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization collaborated over the years.
Visitors of the exhibition could peruse special editions of the sacred texts of Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism, Neo-Protestantism, Judaism, Islam and Confucianism, in a collection that best exemplifies President Emil Constantinescu visionary perspective on interfaith dialogue between Abrahamic religions, while also honouring the memory of some of the most important moments in the history of Christianity in Romania.
Alongside the “Bucharest Bible” (1688), the Psalter and New Testament published in Alba Iulia around the mid-17th century constitute monuments of Romanian language and culture from the Early Modern period, presented in anniversary facsimile editions. Alongside these, a special section is dedicated to the Protestant creeds, represented by Bibles and prayer books in German and Hungarian. The exhibition also includes luxury editions of the Qur’An and the Torah, received from the President of Israel, Ezer Weizman, and the “Marmara Group” Foundation for Strategic and Social Research, as well as a Bible featuring mother-of-pearl binding and case, presented to President Constantinescu by the President of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat, in January 2000 in Bethlehem, on the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ.
Two bas-reliefs, depicting the Virgin with Child and Saints Peter and Paul, received by President Constantinescu from Pope John Paul II following the Sovereign Pontiff’s ecumenical visit to Bucharest and President Constantinescu’s subsequent state visit to the Vatican, are pieces of inestimable historical and cultural value, accompanied by a collected volume of the liturgical celebrations officiated by His Beatitude, Patriarch Teoctist and His Sanctity, Pope John Paul II, during the historic Papal visit to Bucharest.
Alongside other rare religious tomes, the exhibition is completed by four prayer books priented between the late 19th and early 20th century, and an autographed photo of Mother Theresa that she personally offered President Constantinescu.
July 18 2025
November 19 2025
