Site of Sainte-Renelde

This small park is private, but the family who owns it allows the passage.

Born in Kontich, Saint Renelde (7th Century) was the daughter of Saint Amalberge de Maubeuge and Witger, Duke of Lotharangie and Count of Brabant. Among his brothers and sisters was Saint Gudula whose relics are kept in the Cathedral of St Michael and Gudula in Brussels.



A legend tells that Renelde made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and then lived in the village of Saintes in Walloon Brabant with her two faithful servants, Grimoald and Gondulphe. The martyrdom took place when the Huns began to devastate and ravage the region. Rather than fleeing as most of the inhabitants did, Renelde and his two servants waited for them in front of the church of St Quentin (now the church of Ste Renelde) in Saintes. The barbarians dragged her by the hair, whipped her, and finally cut off her head. She and her two faithful companions were buried on the spot. Many miraculous healings took place near his tomb.


The body of Saint Renelde was exhumed in 866 and placed in a silver shrine by John XIX, Bishop of Cambrai. In 1170 and 1352, the abbots of Lobbes, John and Peter, visited these holy relics and exposed them to the veneration of the people. Part of the bones is transferred to Lobbes. The relics are currently in Saintes in a gold shrine dating from the fifteenth century.

The chapel in Floreffe was erected in 1900 by Baron Joseph de Dorlodot, owner of the Plumerie de Floreffe. That year, the baron had a very sick child. He prayed to Saint Renelde and promised that in case of recovery, he would build a building to her glory. Which was done.

Val et Oli