The beguinage: a statue of the caring grey sisters in the Engelenconvent

The 'Engelenconvent', which today houses the museum of the grey sisters, has nothing to do with the grey sisters historically. It was a typical convent where beguines lived together. It is today owned by the grey sisters and the beautiful collection is an interesting testimony about the life of this order in Diest, but also of the order in general. After all, we see grey sisters in many cities. They were godly women who lived without taking a formal monastic vow. They committed themselves to works of charity and to a sober way of life. As we will see further, this order was very active during epidemics and often settled in the city at the invitation of the magistrates. The sisters realized various care institutions in Diest: a guest house, a maternity hospital, a hospital, a psychiatric institution and a rest home for the elderly.

The museum is managed by the psychiatric hospital Sint-Annendael in Diest, known for the project Te Gek !?, which wants to remove mental health care from the taboo sphere. It consists of eight rooms, each focusing on a certain aspect of the life and task of the grey sisters: the care at home, the religious, the figure of Francis of Assisi and so on. In 2008, the last sisters of the order left Diest. Thanks to the museum, their work remains alive in the memory.

Jan Rymenams