Our Lady of Liberation - Namur

Our Lady of the Liberation on Place de l'Ange, no. 79 is one of the most famous 'potales' in Namur

According to legend, a condemned man, on the cart that took him to the pillory on Place d'Armes , begged the Virgin to free him from his chains. The handcuffs in question were hung on the facade of No. 97 on the same square, but have disappeared. There is another explanation for the name given to this potale. In the Middle Ages , pregnant women came to pray to the Virgin in the hope of an easy birth.

Potales are niches made in a common wall and often contain a statue of Mary or a saint . The term potale comes from the Walloon word potè, which means small hole. This Walloon tradition goes back to the 14th century. They grew in numbers in the streets so that people could pray wherever they were and die with the protection of a saint nearby.

In Namur it was also a sign that the house was occupied by the owner.

Willem Vandenameele