- Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten Troost
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The Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten Troost Kerk (Church of Our Lady of Consolation), simply known as the Troostkerk, is a basilica in Vilvoorde, Belgium. The history of the church and its Carmelite monastery (the oldest in Western Europe) go back 800 years. It was consecrated as a basilica on May 7, 2006 by Cardinal Godfried Danneels.
Contents
History
In Steevoort, one of the districts of Vilvoorde, stood a beguinage dating back to the 13th century A.D which bore the name Onze Lieve Vrouw van Troost, Our Lady of Consolation. (Beguines were women who lived in semi-monastic communities but who didn’t take religious vows. They were interested in a devotional life and in works of charity.) The cloister was home to a miraculous statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which was known to have been a gift from Sophia of Thuringia, the wife of Hendrik IV, Duke of Brabant. The statue was said to have been inherited by Sophia from her mother, St. Elisabeth of Hungary. As the beguines’ biggest benefactress, she was responsible for adding an infirmary to the cloister.
The Carmelite sisters
In 1457, Blessed Johannes Soreth founded a Carmelite monastery in Liège. Eleven years later, in 1468, both the church and the cloister were burned down when Liège was besieged by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. All 40 nuns, robbed of all their resources, sought refuge in the monastery in Maastricht (founded earlier).
When he learnt what had happened, Johannes Soreth discussed the matter with Charles the Bold, who gave part of the beguinage to the Carmelites. Later, the entire beguinage was given to them; this is recorded in the convent archives. A statue of Our Lady that used to be in a niche outside was transferred to the chapel, and has from then on been a source of countless miracles.
Exile, homecoming, hard times and re-establishment
In 1578, the Carmelites and the Beguines were displaced and exiled. The convent was burned to the ground by rebels against the Spanish king, locally called geuzen (beggars). The nuns only returned to Vilvoorde in 1635, after a series of flights and escapes. Assisted by the inhabitants of the city, they succeeded in restoring the cloister: the first cornerstone was laid by Fr. Jerome Ari, General of the Carmelite order, on 19 March 1663, and the church was consecrated on 6 September 1671.
The Emperor Joseph II of Austria (1741–1790) got rid of convents, because he felt they were of no use to the State. Fortunately, the Vilvoorde Carmel was exempted from this legislation because they had established a school.
The French Revolution (1789–1799) had an impact on Vilvoorde in 1796. The nuns were forced out of the cloister and forbidden to wear their habits. Although obliged to live separately, they nevertheless came together to pray clandestinely. From 8 November 1802, they were once again allowed to live in community. Under Dutch rule however, the wearing of religious habits was again prohibited and living conditions remained harsh until 1830.
After thirty years of neglect, six Carmelite nuns started work on restoring the convent. The enclosure was re-established on 13 January 1831, and a postulant entered the following day.
The Vilvoorde Carmel remained an isolated convent of “calced” Carmelites (O. Carm or Carmelites of the Ancient Observance) in Belgium until March 1966 when the community were taken into the Order of the Discalced Carmelites or Teresian Reformed Carmel.
Elevation to Basilica
Owing to its important role as a pilgrimage destination, the Carmel has a particular significance to the city of Vilvoorde. The Troostkermis or annual fair and holiday of the city of Vilvoorde is still celebrated today, starting on the third Sunday after Easter. The church was elevated to the status of basilica, on 7 May 2006, and since that date pilgrims have begun visiting from other Belgian provinces.
Gallery
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The entrance to the courtyard from Leuvensestraat
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The entrance to the church from the courtyard
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A bell and umbraculum
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The church choir
References
- Luk Biesemans, Rijkdom van stilte en rust.
External links
Categories:- Basilica churches in Belgium
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