Founded by the Dominicans, 1891, under the direction of Father M. J. Lagrange, and approved by Leo XIII, 1892. The purpose of its institution was to form a progressive center of Catholic biblical study, which would aid in offsetting current rationalistic-modernistic attacks upon the Holy Bible. The school is particularly interested in oriental languages, and biblical geography and topography. Among its important contributions to biblical science is the discovery of the famous mosaic map of Madaba, a map which has shed considerable light on the history and geography of that part of ancient Palestine which lay between Samaria and the Nile delta. It also publishes the well known "Revue Biblique." The Biblical Institute of Jerusalem still remains an active and progressive school of thoroughly sound scientific biblical research.