Saint John's Decapitation Church (Stavele)

The Sint-Jans Onthoofdingkerk is the parish church of the place Alveringem, located in the West Flanders municipality, specifically in Stavele, situated at the Alexis Decarneplein.

History [edit | edit source text]

The parish already existed in 1155. A Romanesque church built around 1250 was replaced by a late Gothic church building, which was set on fire and looted in 1796 by pro-French revolutionaries and was restored in 1800. The church was rebuilt in 1830. In 1889, the building was enlarged in a Neo-Gothic style, according to the design of Antonius Verbeke. At that time, a west tower, a transept, a baptismal chapel, and an eastern section were added.

During the First World War, the tower was used by the Allies as an observation post. In 1917, the French soldier Etienne Lorin fell in Bikschote. He was initially buried in the cemetery of Stavele. His parents, who were stained glass artists, donated two stained glass windows to the church in 1919. In addition to religious depictions - the Baptism of Christ, the martyrdom of Saint Stephen (Saint-Étienne) - the windows also feature scenes from the First World War, as well as a portrait of Etienne Lorin.

Building [edit | edit source text]

It is a three-nave hall church with a heavy, built-in west tower, which has three levels. The tower features corner turrets on its tower transept.

Interior [edit | edit source text]

The church furnishings are mostly Neo-Gothic (late 19th century). There is a 17th-century oak statue of Saint Hubert and a polychromed wooden statue of Our Lady of Sorrows from the first half of the 18th century.

The organ from 1821-1822 was built by the organ builders Van Peteghem.

SOURCE: Sint-Jans Onthoofdingkerk (Stavele) - Wikipedia

Joris Broché