Sometimes a member of our species accomplishes something so amazing it defies comprehension. The Codex Gigas is one of those cases. A 165 pound, three foot tall Bible which which includes additional books and tracts along with numerous complex drawings and the image of a demonic looking figure. The manuscript includes illuminations in red, blue, yellow, green and gold. Capital letters are elaborately illuminated, frequently across the entire page. The codex has a unified look as the nature of the writing is unchanged throughout, showing no signs of age, disease or mood on the part of the scribe. No corrections are made in the entire text.

A single person wrote this entire complex book, illuminating characters with beautiful colors and creating these drawings, without a single mistake or sign of fatigue.

Legend has it that the Codex Gigas was written by a monk who broke his monastic vows and was sentenced to be walled up alive. In order to forbear this harsh penalty he promised to create in one single night a book to glorify the monastery forever, including all human knowledge. Near midnight he became sure that he could not complete this task alone, so he made a special prayer, not addressed to God but to the fallen archangel Lucifer, asking him to help him finish the book in exchange for his soul. The devil completed the manuscript and the monk added the devil’s picture out of gratitude for his aid.

It is also speculated that the inscription of various exorcism spells is the monk trying to exorcise the devil out by himself. (Similar to monks who sinned, and were punished by having them write out the Bible by hand, as it was believed that God’s goodness would be transferred to them by doing that.)