Bayard’s Executive Board present Bayard Presse’s new illustrated Bible to Pope Francis

ServizioFotograficoOR/CPP/CIRIC

On Wednesday, January 4, following the Pope’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Georges Sanerot, Chairman of Bayard’s Executive Board, and Fr. André Antoni, Assumptionist priest and managing director of Bayard Publishing Group, were pleased to present Pope Francis a copy of Bayard’s Bible—The Founding Narratives, published on September 29, 2016.

Mr. Sanerot and Fr. André had the opportunity to describe the Bible to Pope Francis. They explained the goals for the project—a Bible that would be accessible for all, even those who have little or no familiarity with either the stories of the either the Old or New Testament. Through its 900 four-color original illustrations, created for this Bible by Serge Bloch, and the annotations written by writer Frédéric Boyer, the most important stories of salvation history unfold for readers in an engaging, inviting, and easy-to-understand style.

Mr. Sanerot and Fr. Andre also showed Pope Francis an extract of the thirty-five episodes of the animated series based on the art and contents of this Bible. The series is broadcast on KTO (the French Catholic TV channel) and will gradually also be released on the video sharing site YouTube.

The Pope took great interest in both the Bible and its digital components. He accepted the Bible with warm words of appreciation.