The Liber Sancti Iacobi, estimated to have been compiled around the year 1140, is a major collection bringing together various texts produced during the first half of the 12th century. This collection includes a variety of significant writings, such as sermons, masses, offices, chants and accounts of miracles, all dedicated to honouring the Apostle Saint James, a figure of great importance in Christian tradition and in the history of Spain.
History of the Liber Sancti Iacobi
The idea of creating this compilation is thought to have come from the Bishop of Santiago de Compostela, Diego Gelmirez, around the year 1120. The initiative formed part of his efforts to expand the Cathedral of Santiago, a hugely important place of pilgrimage. It was also an attempt to publicise and highlight the growing importance of Saint James the Greater, as well as of the city itself, which had become a place of great significance owing to the belief that it held the apostle’s remains.
The compilation of the Liber Sancti Iacobi was not the work of a single moment, but was written over time and independently by different authors. When we examine the most famous manuscript derived from this collection, known as the Codex Calixtinus, we find clues suggesting the compilation may have been finished around the year 1140. This can be inferred from certain events and details found in its content.
For example, in Book II of the Calixtinus, titled the Book of Miracles, a miracle is recounted that took place in the year 1135. This suggests that, at minimum, this book could have been completed by the year 1136. In addition, Book V, known as the Pilgrim’s Guide, presents details about historical monuments that could place the creation of this guide around the year 1130.
At the end of the Codex Calixtinus is an appendix, known as Appendix II, which was added later to the original manuscript. This appendix contains a papal bull of Pope Innocent II, and although the authority of this document is disputed, it can be dated to no later than the year 1143. The same appendix also includes an account of a miracle that occurred at Vezelay, dated to the year 1139. The presence of both the bull and this miraculous account, which falls outside the context of the Book of Miracles, suggests that by around the year 1140 the compilation was already settled — that is, that the work of compiling it had come to an end and the Liber Sancti Iacobi had taken the definitive form we know today.
The Manuscripts of the Liber Sancti Iacobi
Several manuscripts of the Liber Sancti Iacobi have been produced over the years, and around twelve of them survive today. These manuscripts can be classified into two main groups: on one hand, those containing the shorter version of the manuscript, known as the libellus, and on the other, those presenting the fuller version. Within this latter category, the most notable and representative is undoubtedly the Codex Calixtinus, produced between 1160 and 1180.
The manuscripts containing the full version of the Liber Sancti Iacobi are as follows:
- In Santiago de Compostela, held in the Cathedral Archive, is the Codex Calixtinus.
- In London, the British Library holds the manuscript known as Additional 12213.
- In Vatican City, the Vatican Apostolic Library holds Archivio S. Pietro C 128.
- In Salamanca, another important manuscript is preserved in the University Library, 2631.
- In Madrid, a manuscript is held in the National Library under reference 4305.
There are also manuscripts containing partial versions of the text, as follows:
- In Barcelona, in the Archive of the Crown of Aragon, the manuscript Ripoll 99.
- In Lisbon, the National Library holds the manuscript Alcobaca CCCII, which is number 334.
- From Vatican City, the Vatican Apostolic Library also holds Borghese 202.
- The British Library in London holds another manuscript known as Cotton Titus A.XIX.
- In Pistoia, the Archivio di Stato preserves Documenti vari 27.
- In Madrid, besides those already mentioned, there are two further manuscripts in the National Library under references 7381 and 13118.
In addition to these manuscripts, there are others that include only one of the books of the Liber. Among these are works such as the Pseudo-Turpin and the book titled the Book of Miracles, each with its own history and miracles. These various manuscripts reflect the rich tradition and significance of the Liber Sancti Iacobi in literature and religious history.
The Codex Calixtinus
The Codex Calixtinus is a 12th-century illuminated manuscript containing the oldest known text of the Liber Sancti Iacobi. This codex was kept at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela until it was stolen in July 2011 and recovered in 2012. It is the most important and complete manuscript, considered by some to be the original version of the Liber, though it is now believed an earlier manuscript once existed. The Calixtinus was copied between 1160 and 1170 in Santiago, shortly after the Liber was completed.
The Ripoll Manuscript
The Ripoll Manuscript, held in Barcelona at the Library of the Crown of Aragon under reference Ripoll 99, also known as “Collectaneum. Miraculi beati Iacobi”, originates from the historic Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll. This important document was copied in the year 1173 by a monk of the monastery named Arnaldo de Monte. Arnaldo is said to have made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, which probably inspired him to undertake this task. It is suspected that both this codex and the famous Codex Calixtinus may have been copied from an older manuscript that has unfortunately been lost over time. Another possibility is that the Ripoll manuscript was made directly from the Calixtinus.
The manuscript comprises 86 folios and measures 280 by 138 millimetres. Each page contains a total of 26 lines. The way this codex is organised differs slightly from the Calixtinus, beginning with Book III, which includes the texts relating to the translation of Saint James. Book II follows, dedicated to the miracles, to which an account of the miracle of Vezelay, which occurred in the year 1139, is added. This miracle, unlike the others, was not part of the original text of the Calixtinus, having previously been included in an appendix.
Next, in the Ripoll manuscript, comes Book IV, which contains the well-known Pseudo-Turpin, along with a good part of Book V, which serves as a Pilgrim’s Guide. At the end of the manuscript is a partial copy of Book I, including several sermons and a number of liturgical pieces of great interest. It is worth noting, however, that the Ripoll manuscript contains neither of the two appendices found in the Calixtinus, which makes it a unique document in its own structure and content.
The Alcobaca Manuscript
The Alcobaca Manuscript is held at the National Library of Portugal in Lisbon and comes from the Monastery of Alcobaca, located north of that city. This manuscript is a very important document preserved at the library and is known as Alcobaca CCCII (334). The manuscript has a total of 215 folios, meaning it contains many pages of valuable information. Each page measures 347 millimetres in length by 230 millimetres in width, making it a fairly large document. This manuscript is also considered an almost complete copy, meaning it has survived in very good condition and contains most of its original content. This is especially significant for study and review, as it allows researchers and scholars to access a great deal of information about the history and traditions of its place of origin.