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"The Sale of a Printed Bible" (March 12, 1455)


An image of Pope Pius II in blessing, from a biographical fresco in the Cathedral Library of Siena. (View Larger)

Enea Silvio Piccolomini, later Pope Pius II, reported that in Frankfurt the year before, "a marvelous man" had been promoting the sale of a printed Bible. Piccolomini stated that he saw parts of the book and that it had such clear, large lettering that one could read it without eye glasses. He also noted that every copy had been sold.