Saint Antony

The old “Clerck Chapel” already existed in the 14th century. The sheep market used to take place on the square in front of the chapel. So it is no coincidence that there is an altar in the chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony Abbot, who is among others patron saint of livestock diseases. From the 16th century onward the chapel was referred to as the “Saint Anthony’s chapel”. The statue of Saint Anthony “with the pig” can still be found above the main entrance.

The chapel was discontinued during the French Revolution. Afterwards it served as a warehouse and as a Protestant church. The Picpus monks were able to buy the building in 1860. They promised an altar dedicated to Saint Joseph if they would succeed in restoring the chapel. To date, the chapel has a national appeal as pilgrimage of Saint Joseph. This manifests itself through the numerous votive offerings on the walls.

Another ‘attraction’ was added to the chapel in 1936. The body of Father Damien was relocated from Molokai and added to a side chapel. A subsequent effect was that Father Damien also got a large tapestry in the Belgian Pavilion of the Universal Exhibition of 1937 in Paris. On the tapestry the transfer by painter Marcel Lafôret was depicted prominently in analogy to the ‘translatio’ of the relics of medieval saints.

Streams of pilgrims kept on coming after the Second World War. A radical transformation of the old chapel became urgent. The new construction was completed in 1962. The vaults of the Damian Crypt (by Jos Ritzen) are in line with the traditional architecture of the interwar period. The new chapel (by Walter Steenhoudt) on the contrary is really modern. The brute effect of the concrete is softened by careful decorations using bricks, natural stone, brass and wood.

The neo-Gothic interior by the workshop Goyers from Leuven was almost completely lost due to the radical innovation. Some statues are preserved nearby in the monastery. The glass painter Moertier from Ghent modernised the stained glass windows by depicting the four ages of Jesus. The stained glass window by Louis Grossé that is a tribute from the Belgian provinces to Joseph remained untouched.

The neo-Gothic devotional statue of Saint Joseph was given a place of honour in a golden niche above the main altar. A new statue of Saint Joseph by Albert D’Havé in the chapel of the candles gives a more contemporary representation. Throughout his relationship with Mary and Jesus Joseph keeps experiencing his life calling.