Can you describe the quality of the materials?

We're convinced The Word on Fire Bible is the highest-quality Catholic Bible ever produced for mass distribution.

The paper is not the traditionally thin Bible paper most readers are used to. It is thick and matte-coated, keeping the ink right at the surface of the page so that images appear vivid and sharp. This makes the art in the Bible appear gorgeous, vibrant, and amazingly clear. But it offers this clarity while retaining the natural look and feel of uncoated paper.

For the leather edition, the cover material is a natural tumbled full-bovine top grain leather. After tanning and tumbling (a process that softens the product) the leather was given a protective coating to protect against water and scratches. Unlike split-grain leather, a lower grade used by virtually all other Bibles, our top grain leather will not crack and fall apart over time.

The spine of the Bible includes raised hubs, which add a traditional touch. Features on the spine, cover artwork, and lettering have also been debossed into the leather surface and foil stamped in metallic gold.

In terms of binding, all versions of The Word on Fire Bible are Smyth-sewn, which is the highest quality method of bookbinding available. Rather than relying on glue to hold individual pages in place, Smyth-sewn books feature smaller booklets which are each printed individually, then stitched into the book block with thread. Smyth-sewing is the true mark of a book that is built to last, and is the standard for library and archival quality bookmaking where durability is paramount. Smyth-sewn books also lay flat on a surface when open, which was a desirable feature for our Bible.

Other features include a gold ribbon bookmark (leather and hardcover editions only); ornate metallic gold ink, which adorns select design elements throughout (pull quotes, headlines, chapter numbers); and HUV gloss coating over special artistic elements for added visual emphasis.