World Calligraphy Day celebrates an ancient art with deep roots in Christian tradition

World Calligraphy Day celebrates the art of handwriting, practised since antiquity. Over the centuries, calligraphy has embellished manuscripts and has also held an important place in the Christian tradition.

The observance is held annually on the second Wednesday of August and is dedicated to the art of calligraphy and those who practise it. In 2026, World Calligraphy Day is celebrated on 12 August.

The initiative was launched in 2017, with the first edition organised by the Manuscript Pen Company in collaboration with the Pen Museum in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The day aims to bring together calligraphy artists and enthusiasts and to encourage the practice and promotion of this art form.

Calligraphy is the artistic form of handwriting and emerged around 200 BC in China. Over time, artistic writing was used to embellish manuscripts, becoming a form of expression found across numerous cultures.

Writing materials varied according to historical period and cultural setting, and included animal skins, tree bark and papyrus. Ink likewise has a long history, with its invention dating back to the 27th century BC, also in China.

The importance of calligraphy is also reflected…