About
Maurits Sabbe was a Professor of Biblical Exegesis and former academic secretary at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Maurits Sabbe Library in 1969, which was renamed in his honor in 2004. The library serves as a central research and heritage repository for theology and religious studies, housing over 1.3 million volumes and rare collections like the Anjou Bible and the Adrianus Codex. Sabbe’s contributions included negotiating deposits from religious institutions, securing collections like the Jesuits’ library, and repositioning the faculty as an international academic hub post-university split in 1968. His work emphasized preserving religious heritage and fostering interdisciplinary research.
- Affiliations: KU Leuven, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies (1960s–2004).
- Key Roles: Founder of the Maurits Sabbe Library, negotiator of major library deposits (e.g., Jesuits, Mechelen Seminary), and academic leader during the faculty’s reorganization.
Research Interests: Biblical exegesis, church history, and the preservation of religious heritage. His legacy includes the library’s mission to balance academic research with heritage conservation, exemplified by its special collections and the Book Heritage Lab collaboration.
Labs/Teams: Overseeing the integration of the Book Heritage Lab, which focuses on conservation and digitization of manuscripts like the Anjou Bible and Codex Eyckensis.
