The Presidential Library of the Republic of Belarus has created a digital copy of the unique edition of the "Altar Gospel", printed in Vilna by Peter Mstislavets in 1575.
In 2023, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Belarusian Exarchate and the Presidential Library of the Republic of Belarus. As part of clause 1.3 of the Agreement, "Creating favorable Conditions for the development of electronic information resources, including projects to create and store digital copies of book monuments," the Presidential Library initiated the Spiritual Heritage of Belarus project.
The aim of the project is to create and replenish a full—text database of Sacred Writings and other texts, including the Orthodox Church.
In 2025, the Presidential Library created digital copies of the 15th-century manuscript "The Altar Gospel", which is kept in the library of the Minsk Theological Academy, and the "Altar Gospel" with signatures, printed in Vilna in 1600 in the printing house of Mamonichi. The 1600 edition is the property of the Minsk Holy Spirit Cathedral.
In 2026, another digital copy was created — the "Altar Gospel", printed in Vilna by Peter Mstislavets in 1575. The publication is in the Memorial Library of Archbishop Maxim (Krokha; 1928-2002).
The publication is interesting for the history of its existence. Thanks to the provenances available in it — the seals of the Vrublevsky Library in Vilna and the Vrublevsky Library in Vilna, now the Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, as well as a petition addressed to Archbishop Anthony Zubko from the clerk of the Lithuanian Chancery, rector of Verkhovitskaya Church Leopold Pankovsky, pasted into the book — the rarity is an important historical source.
The database of the Presidential Library has been replenished with another monument of book culture of the era of the manual press, which is a material historical and cultural value of the Republic of Belarus.
In the Belarusian Exarchate, all digital copies are stored in the catalog of the Register of Book Monuments of the Belarusian Exarchate.
Digital copies of the most valuable national book monuments ensure their preservation, access to study and introduction to scientific circulation.