Without doubt, Abraham Lincoln is one of President-elect Barack Obama's longtime favorites, and Obama maintains a practice of encouraging historical comparisons with the 16th president, incidentally the first from Illinois!

In February 2007, Obama announced his presidential bid at a place where Lincoln had served - the Old State Capitol in Springfield. Now, at his historic inaugural January
20, he intends taking the oath of office on the holy book that Lincoln used at his first inauguration in 1861. In addition, like Lincoln, Obama too plans to take a train to Washington for his inauguration!

The 'Lincoln Bible' as it is called - now a part of the Library of Congress collection - was not the Lincoln family Bible. It was purchased in 1861 by William Thomas Carroll, the-then Supreme Court clerk for Lincoln's swearing-in ceremony. The back of the Bible has hand-written annotation by Carroll, certifying its use at the occasion.

The Bible, according to its description by Obama's inauguration committee, is a heavily gilded burgundy velvet-bound volume, published by the Oxford University Press in 1853.

The executive director of the Committee, Emmett Beliveau, said: "The use of this historic Bible will provide a powerful connection to our common past and common heritage."

Though there is no constitutional requirement of a Bible to be used at inaugurations, the tradition began with George Washington, who used the Masonic Bible at the first inauguration in 1789. Ever since, incoming presidents have chosen family Bibles and famous Bibles for use at their inauguration.