Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.

MR Pallottinum

Designed with noble restraint
and respect for tradition
MR Pallottinum is a custom typeface commissioned by Pallottinum Publishing House exclusively for setting the Roman Missal. Legibility and the need to preserve the publication’s existing layout shaped the core design requirements.

MR Pallottinum is a serif typeface with a lively humanist character and details inspired by Baroque typefaces. These historical references are brought together in a coherent contemporary design. The letterforms were designed to suit the solemn character of the book, support legibility and serve the text rather than dominate it.
The preparation of an updated text of the Roman Missal prompted the commission. MR Pallottinum was designed to replace Times New Roman, which had been used in earlier editions. Its proportions and rhythm were calibrated to preserve the existing page layout as closely as possible when the new typeface was introduced.
The family includes Regular, Italic, SemiBold and ExtraBold styles, providing the range needed to establish a clear hierarchy within the text. Each of the four styles was also developed in a Rough version. The Rough variants feature an irregular texture inspired by historical printing and are intended for display use at larger sizes.
Each style contains 541 glyphs, including custom-designed liturgical symbols, small caps, lining and oldstyle figures, diacritics and an extended punctuation set. OpenType features make alternate glyphs easy to access during typesetting.

Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.

Designing the MR Pallottinum Typeface

From the study of archival liturgical books to the final design of the MR Pallottinum typeface

The process began with an analysis of archival liturgical books. The collected reference material provided the basis for examining their typographic language and defining the design criteria for a contemporary typeface.

Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.

Baroque typefaces and humanist typefaces with Baroque detailing predominated in the source material. Based on this material, 12 conceptual reconstructions were developed, all using the same test word. Gaussian blur was then used to obscure fine details and identify the letterforms that remained most recognisable.

Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.

Two directions were selected from the 12 reconstructions. One showed affinities with Dutch serif traditions; the other, with English serif traditions. Both were expanded into complete lowercase sets. Each direction was then developed in two versions: one with traditional detailing and the other with a contemporary treatment based on restrained, straight cuts. Of the resulting four concepts, the traditionally detailed version with closer affinities to English serif traditions was selected for further development.

Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.

Once the direction had been selected, its letterforms were redrawn and structurally revised. Their vertical and horizontal proportions were adjusted for the intended page layout of the Roman Missal, with particular attention to text readability. At that stage, the concept comprised uppercase and lowercase letters and basic punctuation. From this foundation, the family was expanded to include an italic, small caps, lining and oldstyle figures, additional weights, diacritics, liturgical symbols and the required punctuation. OpenType features were also implemented.

Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.

The typeface was developed in close collaboration with Pallottinum’s editorial and typesetting team. Test versions were evaluated in the intended page layout, and the team’s detailed feedback informed subsequent refinements. The concept and design principles were presented to the liturgical commission.
After testing MR Pallottinum in place of Times New Roman, Pallottinum reported that the outcome was highly satisfactory: the existing text layout had been preserved, with differences in only a few places.

Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.
Visual presentation of the MR Pallottinum typeface project, a custom serif family designed for Roman Missal typesetting with a focus on legibility, continuity of tradition and compatibility with the existing page layout.

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Szymon Sznajder
Poznań, Poland
contact@21type.com

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© 21Type
Szymon Sznajder, 2026
All rights reserved

2025 06 03 21type Logotyp

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