The special traveling Bible written in 66 different languages symbolizes the fact that every language and culture can access the Word of God. This Bible started its journey in Manila, Philippines, on October 11, 2008, and is traveling the globe to promote Bible study, revive personal commitments to read the Bible daily and share the Biblical message with others.
In the past, Seventh-day Adventists have been known as people of the Book. “For more than 150 years Seventh-day Adventist families have begun their days by reading the Bible and have used its teachings for inspiration, guidance and source of encouragement for their daily living,” said Pastor Mark Finley while presenting Follow the Bible program in Manila. Today, Seventh-day Adventists are number seven in a survey comparing how frequently people from 12 major denominations read their Bibles. (This data was collected by the Barna Group in June 2001.)
On February 19, 2009, the traveling Bible arrived in Naples, and the local Adventist church hosted a meeting entitled United around the Word in which participants included Romanian and Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholics and Evangelicals. During the meeting, people from different nations shared Scripture in their native languages. Nino Plano, pastor of the Adventist church, spoke on the importance of the Bible in everyday life. The Naples Interdenominational Group of Ecumenical Activity (GIAEN) and the Campania Evangelical Churches Council (CCEC) helped to organize the event.
The traveling Bible stopped in Rome on Friday, February 20th and was part of a special program entitled A Bible in 66 Languages Traveling around the World. The event presented the Bible in different forms – as a song, as a prayer, written, spoken, videotaped – for all ages and for all people. Part in the program involved distinctive guests such as Anna Maffei, the president of the Baptist Church in Italy (UCEBI); Domenico Visigalli, a retired Adventist pastor; and Dr. Mario Cignoni, a member of the translation team of the Italian Bible Society. The assembly was moved when Daniele Benini, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Italy brought in the traveling Bible. He was followed by people of different countries holding their national flags.
On Saturday, February 21st, the Follow the Bible program was organized in Florence. Several participants told the story of how they were introduced to the Bible and were touched by its message. The participants also viewed a video presenting the activities of the Bible Society around the world. Among many special guests and speakers was Agnese Cini Tassinario, the president of Biblia, a Secular Association of Biblical Culture.
Finally, on Sunday, February 22nd, the traveling Bible reached Turin in northwestern Italy. Under the patronage of the city council, the province and the local health authorities, the Seventh-day Adventist Church organized a lecture titled Follow the Bible in a Trip around the World. The speakers for this meeting were George Bouchard, a Waldesian pastor, Paolo Benini, the president of the regional organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern Italy, and Francesco Mosca, the pastor of the local Adventist church.
“The four days of Bible-related events in Italy prominently displayed the Bible as a guide for helping us to live full lives in this materialistic and individualistic world,” commented Vincenzo Annunziata, the communication's director of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Italy who travelled with the Bible. “Several times, it has been reaffirmed that the Bible can impart important and beneficial values for today’s generation in addition to being a means of communicating with God.”
In the four Italian cities where the Follow the Bible programs took place, the Italian Bible Society organized exhibitions presenting the New Italian Bible along with a special handwritten Bible. Each chapter of this handwritten Bible was written by members of different Seventh-day Adventist churches in Italy as a testimony to the value Adventists place upon the Bible.
On Monday, February 23, 2009, the special Bible traveling around the globe continues its journey to Vienna, Austria, and will continue its mission around the globe until the next General Conference Session in 2010.
