The Dies Academicus of the Ecole Biblique et Archéologique Française and the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (EBAF and SBF) took place in the Lecture Hall at St. Stephen's Church in Jerusalem. A morning in memory of the Dominican Father, Marcel Sigrist, and his contribution to academic study and research. Fr OLIVIER POQUILLON, op Director of the École Biblique et Archéologique Française of Jerusalem When we speak of Marcel Sigrist, we speak first of all of a Dominican friar, born in Alsace, in the north-east of France, who came to Jerusalem where he left his heart. Marcel was a great Assyriologist who always worked as a team and with great humility. He had an innate desire to share his knowledge and not keep it to himself. He was therefore often a promoter of research initiatives, not only in his discipline but also in the biblical and archaeological fields. It is the characteristic of great men to share their humanity with all mankind. The prologue was delivered by Prof. Uri Gabbay, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, on the topic: ‘Biblical monotheism in the light of the sources of ancient Mesopotamia’, a subject much studied by Father Marcel Sigrist. PhD URI GABBAY Professor of Assyriology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Bible was written in the context of the ancient cultures and religions of the Near East, and naturally interacts with these cultures and religions. It is in contact with them, it knows their literature; it also naturally knows the religion with which it sometimes clashes. It is influenced by them linguistically, and therefore, to understand the context of the Bible, the historical circumstances in which it emerged, one must also know the ancient Near East, and study the ancient Near Eastern cultures. It is essential, I repeat, to know the world in which the Bible flourished, and with which the authors of the Bible came into contact. For more than ten years, the École Biblique et Archéologique Française and the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum have been jointly organising the Dies Academicus, which is also the result of the work of Fr. Marcel Sigrist. Br ROSARIO PIERRI, ofm Dean Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Father Sigrist's action was fundamental in promoting collaboration between our institutions, he always supported it. In the presentation, a portrait emerged of an open figure, also in his remarkable scientific production, which many of us have only now discovered. We really felt him to be a true brother, always friendly and welcoming. Despite the wartime, the two institutions never interrupted their activities, and so new students enrolled in the licentiate and doctorate courses in biblical and archaeological studies offered by the Studium and the École, in the land of the Fifth Gospel. Br ROSARIO PIERRI, ofm Dean Studium Biblicum Franciscanum For all of us it was a welcome surprise that there are more members than last year. Behind this result there is the hand of Providence, I say that quite frankly. Then there is the fact that the Studium is becoming more and more well-known, and I believe that it is becoming appreciated for what it offers. Students have contact with friends, colleagues, they exchange experiences, opinions, so they talk about the institution at which they are studying or have studied, a true form of publicity for the Studium, whose name is becoming more and more widespread.