St. Cornelius Church - Machelen-aan-de-leie

The St. Cornelius Church of Machelen , dedicated to St. Michiel, Cornelius and Ghislenus was built on the large Leie bend called Machelen-put and has a particularly picturesque view.

The church has a monumental appearance and is notable for its variety of architectural styles. Over the years it was adapted several times and expanded into a hall church. Since 1432, believers have been coming on the "Machelen Gulde" pilgrimage . Major revival of the pilgrimage (including miraculous healings ) and reconstruction of the church in the first half of the 17th century, including a new relic of Saint Cornelius in a silver horn-shaped reliquary.

In 1801 the church tower was badly damaged and the restoration was started but interrupted by the First World War in which the tower was again badly damaged in 1918; work resumed in 1920, including a new south portal and false transept. Recent exterior restoration works finished in 1989.

The interior includes paintings and a sculpture of Saint Cornelius in the main altar, Monumental marble high altar, Wainscoting in the choir with choir stalls, Communion bench in neo-Renaissance style, organ and baptismal font.

The church was listed as a protected monument in 1979 and the surrounding area with the village center and old parsonage as a protected village view.

Two important people in the life of Roger Raveel , his father and Roger's wife Zulma, were laid to rest in the cemetery in Machelen. He himself is also buried there.

The Dutch writer Gerard Reve (Gerard Kornelis van het Reve) is buried in the cemetery a little further along the Hoevestraat in the village. The famous Dutchman lived in Machelen-aan-de-Leie since 1993 until his death in 2006. His poem 'Credo' from 1968 was incorporated into a work of art. This work is located on the Georges-Jozef Imschootplein.

Willem Vandenameele