Basilica of Our Lady of Bon-Secours

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Basilica in the center of the village

The Basilica of Our Lady of Bon-Secours ( French Basilique Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours ) is a Roman Catholic pilgrimage church in Péruwelz in the province of Hainaut in the Walloon region of Belgium . The Marienkirche belongs to the diocese of Tournai and has the rank of a minor basilica . The listed church in neo-Gothic style from the end of the 19th century forms the center of the district of Bon-Secours directly on the French border and goes back to a medieval pilgrimage to a figure of Mary in an oak.

history

Pilgrimage

In the Middle Ages, an oak tree on a hill formed the border point between the areas of Péruwelz, Blaton and Condé-sur-l'Escaut . A statue hung on her, which was venerated under the name of Our Lady of the Oak between two trees ( French: Notre-Dame-du-Chêne-Entre-Deux-Bois ), especially by the inhabitants of Peruwelz. At the beginning of the 17th century the oak died and the image was lost. A new statue of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus was carved from the wood of the fallen tree and a small stone shelter was created in the place of the oak. The veneration was resumed under the name Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours, especially as the plague in the region spared the city of Péruwelz.

In 1637, the Péruwelz authorities took over the protection of the statue of the Virgin Mary, after which a chapel was built for her. Daily masses were celebrated and pilgrims began to flock. The chapel became too small and enlarged from 1643 to 1645, with the old chapel becoming the choir of the new. The pilgrimage tradition continued during the wars of Louis XIV , the troubled times of the 18th century and the revolutionary times. Votive offerings were brought.

In the second half of the 19th century, the pilgrimages were renewed, also by the growing public transport, the railway line to Péruwelz, a steam tram to Valenciennes and the horse-drawn tram from Péruwelz to Bon-Secours. The village grew with shops, restaurants, cafes and family boarding houses. There was also a spa center for nervous diseases.

New Church

Major repairs to the church from 1645 were due at the end of the 19th century. Instead, a contemporary, enlarged new building was decided, which was started in 1885 by the architect François Baeckelmans from Antwerp. After the demolition, a crypt was built from the old stones as a foundation on the hill. The octagonal building was built in neo-Gothic style with neo-Byzantine influences. After good construction progress, the church was consecrated in 1892. In 1910, Pius X granted the church the title of minor basilica.

Statue of Our Lady of Bon-Secours in the altar

Furnishing

The church furnishings refer to the long tradition of pilgrimage. The small, original statue from the first chapel dominates the choir with its position in the altar. Surrounded by angels, it is highlighted by the multi-colored wooden ciborium . She is dressed in silk and velvet according to the Spanish fashion of the 17th century. The stained glass windows show the story of the oak tree and the subsequent chapels. The ceramics by Max Van Der Linden tell the life of Mary and the adoration of Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours.

Web links

Commons : Basilica of Our Lady of Bon-Secours  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Basilique Notre-Dame de Bonsecours on gcatholic.org
  2. ↑ Basilique Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours on peruwelz.be (French)
  3. ↑ Basilique Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours on visitwapi.be (French)

Coordinates: 50 ° 29 ′ 50.4 "  N , 3 ° 36 ′ 26.6"  E