THE POPE is getting a very nice present:

Polyglot Bible to Be Given to Pope

Initiative Marks October's Synod on Word of God

By Miriam Díez i Bosch

ROME, SEPT. 30, 2008 (Zenit.org).- A multilingual Bible will be given to Benedict XVI in honor of the October synod of bishops on the word of God.

The "Polyglot Bible," illustrated by Cláudio Pastro, will be given to the Holy Father on Oct. 7, in a special white deluxe edition. Red copies will also be given to the members of the synod.

The Bible's Old Testament is in five languages: Hebrew-Aramaic, Greek, Latin, English and Spanish, while the New Testament is in four languages: Greek, Latin, English and Spanish. The Bible is designed for liturgical, academic and exegetical usages.

The 3,220-page deluxe edition was printed by the Brazilian Biblical Society press. It weighs 3,440 kilograms (7,583 pounds). The final presentation of this special edition of the "Polyglot Bible" was endorsed by the American Bible Society and the Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

[...]

That means it weighs more than a kilogram per page. That doesn't sound right.

UPDATE (3 October): Mystery solved!