St. Hubert, BelgiumSt. Hubert, Belgium
Basilique St-Hubert
This old Benedictine abbey church was founded in the 7th century. The relics of St. Hubert were transferred here in the 9th Century, and have drawn crowds of pilgrims ever since. Several buildings have succeeded each other on this spot, and only the crypt remains of the original Romanesque church. The present Brabant Gothic church was rebuilt in 1526 after a fire, but the facade was modified in the 18th Century. The interior is impressive, being 25 meters high with five isles. It has the layout of a pilgrim's church, with and ambulatory and radiating chapels. The first feature that strikes visitors is the color in the brickwork, a combination of pink, gray, and ochre stone beneath brick vaulting dating from 1683.
The legend of St. Hubert.
One Good Friday in 683 AD Hubert, son in law of the Count of leuven, was hunting in the forest. The dogs raised a huge stag with ten points on its antlers. The animal was on the point of being captured when it turned and a blinding image of Christ on the Cross appeared between its antlers. A voice than reproached St. Hubert for his immoderate love of hunting, and told him to seek out his friend Lambert, Bishop of Tongres-Maastricht, to be instructed in prayer and ministry.
The following photos depict some of the many gargoyles that decorate the exterior
All images were taken in October 1998
This page is located at
http://www.marville.org/other/maother-61.html
Updated: April 22, 2003