The largest collection of its kind in the world marks its 80th anniversary Friday.
The Marian Library at the University of ayton started with just one book back on Oct. 20, 1943. It’s now one of the most diverse repositories of artifacts about the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The library’s director says Mary is actually present in many faiths.
“While our collection is predominantly Catholic, we have materials on Mary in Buddhism, Mary in Islam, and these other religions,” said Kayla Harris, director of the Marian Library. “Mary’s kind of this universal figure that’s not just a religious figure.”
The library is also known for its collection of nativity scenes from around the world. They’ll be on public display for the first time since the pandemic starting Nov. 20.
