The Soiscél Molaisse ('Gospel of St. Molaisse') is a cumdach, a medieval Irish carrying case for a holy book, decorated in the Insular style. Until the late 18th century, the case held a now-lost companion text, meant to be carried as a pocket gospel book, as indicated by the cumdach's small size. The text is presumed to be a small illuminated gospel book associated with Saint Laisrén mac Nad Froích of the 6th century, also known as Mo Laisse. The 8th-century original wooden box was embellished between 1001 and 1025 with a silver frame, including embossed silver plates, a front piece depicting a cross, the figures and symbols of the evangelists, and Latin inscriptions. During the 15th century further silver elements were incorporated, though most have been lost. The Soiscél Molaisse is the earliest and smallest surviving cumdach. It is now in the collection of the archaeology branch of the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soisc%C3%A9l_Molaisse

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1871:

Aida, one of Giuseppe Verdi's most popular operas, made its debut in Cairo, Egypt. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aida

1914:

World War I: British and German soldiers interrupted fighting to celebrate Christmas, beginning the Christmas truce (pictured). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce

1953:

A railway bridge at Tangiwai on New Zealand's North Island was damaged by a lahar and collapsed beneath a passenger train, killing 151 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangiwai_disaster

2008:

The Lord's Resistance Army, a Ugandan rebel group, began attacks on several villages in the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing hundreds and committing numerous atrocities. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Christmas_massacres

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

party spirit: 1. A feeling or sense of celebration or enjoyment. 2. (politics) The feeling of common purpose and togetherness experienced or shown by members or supporters of a group, especially a political party, sometimes accompanied by unreasonable animosity towards members or supporters of other groups. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/party_spirit

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

He who works for sweetness and light, works to make reason and the will of God prevail. He who works for machinery, he who works for hatred, works only for confusion. Culture looks beyond machinery, culture hates hatred; culture has one great passion, the passion for sweetness and light.   --Matthew Arnold https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Matthew_Arnold