By Sarah Mac Donald - 11 April, 2015
This year marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta or ‘Great Charter’, one of the most important documents in history.
The charter established the principle that everyone, even the king, is subject to the law and guaranteeing all subjects the right to a free trial.
As part of the worldwide Magna Carta 800th celebrations, Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin has announced that the cathedral will be putting its own Magna Carta on display.
A rare 14th century copy of Magna Carta, contained within the cathedral’s Liber Niger or ‘Black Book’, which is an eclectic mix of literary, theological, administrative and annalistic material created by the Canons of Christ Church, will form the centrepiece of the interactive family-friendly exhibition in the crypt.
The exhibition is exclusive to Christ Church Cathedral.
The display will explain the significance of Magna Carta from 1215 to the present day, the importance of Christ Church’s special copy and how Magna Carta was, and still is, relevant in Ireland.
The effects of this inspiring document are still felt today, whose foundation principles are clearly seen in the 1791 American Bill of Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, penned after the Second World War.
Clause 40 of Magna Carta states, ‘To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice’.
The exhibition will explain why Magna Carta was necessary, how Dublin came to be associated with the charter, and the surprising link between Magna Carta and one of Irish history’s most famous couples, Strongbow and Aoife.
Alongside this exhibition, the cathedral will be organising a series of public events on the theme of human rights with high profile speakers, historical lunchtime lectures, free workshops for schools, calligraphy classes and much more.
Christ Church Cathedral has received funding from the Magna Carta Trust to assist in the creation of this exhibition.
The Magna Carta Trust’s 800th Anniversary Committee is charged by the Magna Carta Trust to co-ordinate activities, raise the profile of the anniversary and deliver a number of key national and international aspirations. For more information, visit www.magnacarta800th.com.
For more information email [email protected]
