In 382, Pope Damascus requested that the scholar Jerome revise the available Latin translation of the Bible. Before the invention of the printing press, all copies of the Bible and other related works such as psalters and prayer books were hand copied, principally by monks in the scriptoriums that were a part of many medieval monasteries. Many of these copies were decorated, some with simple illustrations and borders, others with elaborate images accented with gold leaf. The use of gold, which reflects light, gives these manuscripts their name. The rich decoration reflected both the sacredness of the text and the wealth of the monastery or its patrons, who often commissioned illustrated books.
Manuscript illuminations take many forms.
Some of the most elaborate, especially in later texts, are complex decorations of initial letters. Borders and other page decorations are common. Selected pages from an Italian prayer book include example of initials, borders, and illustrations. Other examples of medieval illumination can be found at the page on medieval art and architecture .