The St. Ambrose Church and a sweet saint

We do not know many churches dedicated to Saint Ambrose in Flanders. Saint Ambrose is a saint from the 4th century and the patron of beekeepers. He earned that reputation because, when he was a baby sleeping in the garden, a swarm of bees settled on his face. Without stinging him.

The church has only been here since 1759. Before that, this was a field, about a kilometer northwest of the village center and the old church, which burned down in 1741.

The current, austere neoclassical church was designed by the Norbertine Grégoir Godissar (1708-1780) from the Abbey of Averbode. Not coincidentally, as the abbey had owned the patronage rights of the parish since 1234. Godissar was a skilled master builder of the abbey in the 18th century and has an impressive portfolio. He designed several new buildings for the abbey, various village churches, and rectories (including in Messelbroek), the now-gone refuge house, and the particularly beautiful College of the Premonstratensians in Leuven.

It is interesting that, in addition to the typical use of brick for the overall structure and Maasland limestone for the portal, iron sandstone was used for the base of the walls and for some window frames. We do not know whether this was a recovery from the old church or if the stones came from the Weefberg quarry near the abbey, but it is quite possible.

The church was expanded in 1926 with a new choir and side aisles. The contrast in color between the previously gray bricks and the old, bright red bricks is striking.

At the front, we see the beautifully original iron gates. Surrounding the church is an interesting cemetery.

Jan Rymenams