Handmade codex: How much love you can have for a book you have made with your own hands.

At home, we always heard about graphic arts, linotype machines, typesetters, bookbinding, but I never would have imagined that I would follow the creation of a book so directly. We were taught to care for books, to cherish them, but what I never would have thought, not even in my wildest dreams, is that I would participate in the making of such a significant book as this one. Codex Calixtinus. The story begins in 1992, when, in the middle of spring, we were told at home about a very famous book in intellectual circles, one I'd never heard of before. It was an ancient book dating back to the 12th century. One day they told us about the laborious process of creating the photographs, since it was an exact copy and had to look old and antique; another day they spoke about the parchment paper they had to go to Italy to select. This paper had been made with the same characteristics as that used in that era.

The surprise came when those sheets arrived at home, and we were asked to cut each page individually to simulate the wear and tear of time. The work was arduous and laborious, and the whole family worked diligently, meticulously cutting each one. My mother, who had dedicated her entire working life to bookbinding, took charge of sewing each of the 995 copies of the edition. It was months of undivided attention, pouring all the love and experience that, over many years of professional work, had given her the artistry that only true craftspeople know how to display on such special occasions. The book became like another member of the family. We experienced the process like a parent watching their child grow, until finally the project was completed and the book was born—a book we are not only proud of but also feel a part of. Therefore, with the sale of each copy, we share a part of our lives and our past with each owner, thus closing a wonderful circle that only the Codex Calixtinus can create. These days, with the disappearance of the book, not only has one of the most important works of our cultural heritage vanished, but for us, an important part of our memories has also disappeared.