On the anniversary of its pontifical approval by Saint John XXIII (October 14, 1960), Sobicain (International Catholic Bible Society) is officially launching two new editions of the Bible: one in Spanish (La Biblia. “Haya luz!”, featuring the text of the Biblia Latinoamérica) and one in English (The Bible. “Let there be light”, featuring the text of the Christian Community Bible). Developed in collaboration with the Atelier d’Arte of the Centro Aletti in Rome, these two new Bibles are distinguished by several specific features: 1) Four-color printing, while maintaining an affordable price point; 2) The inclusion of neo-Byzantine iconography, pairing each biblical book with an icon; 3) A dedicated app—accessible via QR code starting November 1st—that supports the reading experience with reels, educational videos, in-depth study guides, audio commentaries, and Q&A sections; 4) A comprehensive introduction to the Bible and its iconography, providing the key insights needed to engage with the texts and images; 5) An editorial oversight by recognized biblical scholars and theologians.
When interviewed on the subject, Sobicain Director Fr. Jose Pottayil described the two editions as “the fruit of intense and demanding work involving several Pauline confreres—such as Fr. Jose Mathew, Fr. Danilo Medina, and Fr. Giacomo Perego—alongside Giulia Masiello and the entire Sobicain team. These two Bibles,” he noted, “aim to reach new audiences, ensuring not only the dissemination of the Word of God but also guidance in reading it, based on theological and pastoral principles rooted in the finest traditions of the universal Church.”
The first copies of the Bible were presented to the public on September 30 during LIBER 2026, the International Book Fair in Barcelona, Spain. A further presentation event took place on October 7 at the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany. Additional presentation events are scheduled for the coming months in English- and Spanish-speaking countries across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Distribution activities are already underway at SOBICAIN in Madrid. For further information about the Bible, its unique features, and distribution rights, please visit the following SOBICAIN websites: www.sobicain.org; ventasinternacional@sobicain.org.
