According to the WeChat account "Faith Video", Qiu Zhonghui, president of the Nanjing Amity Printing Company, the world's largest Bible printing base, gave a speech at a forum held in Beijing to mark the 50th anniversary of the Studium Biblicum Bible.
On Oct. 18, Qiu stated, "On behalf of the 500 employees at the Nanjing Amity Printing Company, please allow me to congratulate Chinese Catholics on this commemoration!
"It is well-known that the Studium Biblicum Bible is the most commonly used Bible by present-day Catholics (including the Roman Catholic Church) and was translated by the 'Studium Biblicum Franciscanum' society founded by the Franciscans in Beijing. The society's founder, Rev. Gabrielle Allegra O.F.M., chose John Dun Scotus as its patron saint. Scotus was born in Scotland in 1266. The society named the Bible translation and publication group 'Studium Biblicum Franciscanum'. In 1961 it made a plan to publish the union version of the Bible. Taking eight years, the project was officially completed on Dec. 25, 1968. The first entire Catholic Bible translation from original texts was called 'the Studium Biblicum Bible' or 'Studium Biblicum Bible Translation and Explanation Version'."
The director of the board of the Amity Foundation continued. "Established in 1986, Nanjing Amity Printing Factory became a joint venture between the Amity Foundation and the United Bible Societies. Since its beginning, the printing company was given the rights to print Christian Bibles and hymns in mainland China. It is also the major base for the printing of Bibles across the globe and has produced approximately 183 million copies of the Bible.
"We are grateful that since 1994, our company has printed over 2.6 million copies of the Studium Biblicum Bible for the Chinese Catholic church, including about 1.5 million copies of the entire Bible and more than 1.1 million copies of the New Testament.
"Starting in 2009, the Studium Biblicum in simplified Chinese in horizontal writing mode have been published, an effort that was supported by the Taize Community. As demand for the Bible from young people has increased, we released some new types of the Studium Biblicum Bible specifically for young people... In particular, we from the Nanjing Amity Printing Co.Ltd have for 18 years, in cooperation with the Chinese Catholic press - Hebei Faith Press, published numerous Catholic books with exquisite binding, satisfying the spiritual need of Catholic clergy, lay people and others. (In addition, we have for many years cooperated with the Chinese Catholic charity organization - Jinde Public Welfare Foundation in charity and research projects such as disaster relief.) "
- Translated by Karen Luo
