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The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, also known as the Marian Church, is located in Renkum, a charming village on the Veluwezoom in the province of Gelderland, near Arnhem. The village has a 1200-year Catholic tradition, and the current church building is 100 years old. It was designed by the famous architect Pierre Cuypers. The building houses some beautiful stations from the former church, now demolished.

But the most important is the pious statue of Mary of Renkum dating from 1380. Renkum has been a place of pilgrimage since that year. The oldest known pilgrim is Marie d'Harcourt. A French court lady, she came to pray to Mary of Renkum at least four times over the years. She commissioned a famous prayer book, now in Berlin. At the end of the Middle Ages, the Duke of Geldre built a large monastery in Renkum, which became the Monastery of Modern Devotion. The statue of Mary (now a national heritage site) was also housed here, along with a linen cloth, an ancient needlework depicting Christ's mission in the temple. The original fabric is in Utrecht.

Around the building is a park with icons depicting the life of Jesus. The park is always freely accessible to peace seekers and pilgrims.

During the week, free coffee and tea are available in the presbytery in the mornings. Celebrations are held at weekends and pilgrimages are organized, such as the pilgrimage for the sick. But outside groups also come to Renkum. For example, young people from Antwerp came by bike to spend the night and celebrate a service.

If the church still exists, it's thanks to the Mary of Renkum Foundation. Created by the religious community of Renkum, this organization strives to raise the church's profile. It raises funds for maintenance and invests in facilities such as a water pump for the park's bushes and trees, a new heating system and beautiful sliding glass doors. Thanks to the Foundation, in 2020 the church was voted the most welcoming church in the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland by the people of the Netherlands. It has also been granted municipal monument status, preventing its demolition.

The Foundation organizes numerous activities for believers and others. It aims to make the heritage widely accessible and to promote Renkum as a center of worship. You can find photo reports and reports on activities at www.stichtingmariavanrenkum.nl.