William Tyndale Park

A memorial to William Tyndale was erected in William Tyndale Park. The English Protestant William Tyndale worked for the translation of the Bible into the vernacular. Through the translation of the Bible, Tyndale wanted to enable the people to read in their own intelligible language. In England, however, there was a law that criminalized unauthorized Bible translations and reading. Tyndale went to Germany where his Bible translation was printed and smuggled into England as a commodity. In Antwerp he was handcuffed and transferred to the castle in Vilvoorde. He was found guilty of heresy and sentenced to death. William Tyndale was posthumously recognized one year later, when Cromwell ordered the publication of the Bible in English and made it compulsory in England to submit a translation of the Bible in every church. Tyndale's Old and New Testament translations form the basis of the English version published that year. The inscription on the monument commemorating William Tyndale reads: "To an Englishman William Tyndale. Under the Spanish rule, William Tyndale was burned at Vilvoorde on 6 October 1536, after first being wrangled by executioners. His last words were "Lord, open the eyes of England's king". Before a year had passed, his prayer had been answered by the publication of the bybel in English by order of the king.'

stad Vilvoorde