New Catholic Bible in Cebuano out soon

CEBU, Philippines - After 12 years in the making, a Cebuano Catholic Bible translated straight from the original Greek text will soon be available to the public.

Fr. Carmelo Diola said they will start printing the first batch next week, and will release it to the public in November. Pope Benedict XVI will also be given his own copy on the day of the Cebuano martyr Pedro Calungsod’s canonization in Rome next month.

Diola said this new edition of the Catholic Bible is unlike the past versions because it will have every detail found in the original context of its Greek counterpart.

“Imagine kung mag-copy ka og picture sa usa ra pud ka kinopya nga picture, mawa ang ubang detalye...(Imagine copying a picture from another copied photo, some details disappear.) We believe that we have a very good product and people will like,” Diola said and pointed out the disadvantage of the existing Cebuano Bibles.

For the last 12 years, eight Catholic Bible scholars from the Visayas and Mindanao worked for this project.

Diola said the making of the Cebuano Bible is backed by the Board of Bishops where Archbishop Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal is a member. It will be printed by the Pedro Calungsod Bible Animators group.

Diola said he will recommend to the Archdiocese that this Bible be used in Cebuano Holy Masses.  (FREEMAN)