Open Collections

[Bookplate for Sisterhood of St. John the Divine]

A bird encircled by the convent's motto with the name of the convent library written above and below.

Animals

Sisterhood of St. John the Divine

Still Image

The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine is a monastic community of Anglican nuns, founded in Toronto on September 8, 1884 by Hannah Grier Coome (1837-1921). The sisterhood makes vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and provides a rehabilitation hospital and retreat centres ; they have a two houses, one in Victoria (St. John's House) and Toronto (St. John's Convent and Guesthouse). The order is known for their support of the Book of Alternative Services and bright blue habits. The main library is located in Toronto with a collection of 30,000 books on theology and scripture, as well as history, fiction, and other secular materials. St. John's House in Victoria houses a smaller library. The quote is from the Bible, John 2:5, wherein Mary speaks to Jesus's followers and urges them (in various translations) to do whatever He tells them. The bird at the center of the image is still seen, albeit in a different style, in the Sisterhood's current emblem.
References:
1) 'The Community.' The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine. Accessed on February 24, 2011 from http://www.ssjd.ca/
2) The Eagle. Michaelmas 2009. The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine. Accessed on February 25, 2011 from www.ssjd.ca/y_pdf/EAGLE_Michaelmas09.pdf
3) 'Grier, Sarah Hannah Roberta (Coombe).' Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Accessed February 25, 2011 from http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=8173&&PHPSESSID=ychzfqkvzape
4) 'Sisterhood of St. John the Divine.' Wikipedia. Accessed February 24, 2011 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisterhood_of_St._John_the_Divine

RBSC Bookplates

2011

Images provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy, or otherwise use these images must be obtained from Rare Books and Special Collections: http://rbsc.library.ubc.ca

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