Fastest writing of Bible-world record set by Christian group

[July 9] BHOPAL, India--A group of Christians in India set a new world record by writing the Bible in almost in two and a half hours. 
  The July 7 copying of scriptures, in the presence of neutral observers and church leaders, began at 5:00 p.m. and ended at 7:32 p.m. with a prayer, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.

    The team of Christians from various denominations, who ranged in age from 11 to 77 and included priests, nuns, pastors, brothers and lay people, was led by a local Bhopal lay person Sunil Joseph, who in December 2005 set a record by writing the Bible on his own in 123 days.

    “It is a historic movement of brotherhood among the Christians,” said Catholic Archbishop Pascal Topno of Bhopal. “We are one in Christ, our differences are nothing before the strong brotherhood feeling we have among us.”

    “This was really a show of unity among the Christians,” said Father Anand Muttungal, spokesperson for Catholic Church who helped coordinate the program.

   The event, organizers said, was organized also to mark the importance of the day – 7/7/07. The Christian community considers number seven as the most complete number among all numbers, they said, pointing to the Book of Genesis referring to the seventh day blessed and set apart as a special as the day upon which God had completed creation (Gn 2:3).

    “This is an effort to spread the message of love in the holy Bible for the unity and brotherhood of our country,” Joseph said. “It is also to encourage people to read the message of love embedded in the holy scripture.”

    The “world record attempt is a sign of Christian unity in Madhya Pradesh,” said Father Muttungal. The “holy Bible is the symbol of love revealed through Lord Jesus Christ. So we celebrated this day by these efforts.”

   On December 16, 2005 Joseph completed his first world record attempt taking 123 days. This record made seven world records-- minimum period ever taken in writing Holy Bible by own hand, heaviest (61 kg), thickest (3 feet 7 inches), and maximum number of pages hand written ( 16000 pages), besides one verse in one page and mirror image reading .