Our Lady of the Mosten Chapel

Our Lady of the Mosts.

This velkachapel is unknown to many because it is not located on the main road.

Before the new highway was built, this area seemed like the end of the world. Through the trees you can look over Belgian territory. This grove used to be the property of pastor Alphons Douwenburg. This Rijsbergen resident used to be a teacher at the Klein Seminarie Ypelaar of the diocese of Breda in the Ginneken.

As happened to many boarding schools, a reconnaissance group was set up on the Ypelaar. The camp week during the summer holidays was often held on this site. The reconnaissance groups had fond memories of these weeks of camp and of the residents in the area. That is why old scouts decided to build a chapel here dedicated to Our Lady of the Mosten. Until a chapel was built, the students took an image of Mary with them to camp. It was then carved from lime wood and remained in use until it was replaced by a new statue.

The statue in this chapel shows Our Lady as the enthroned Duchess of Brabant with the child on her knees and a sceptre in her left hand. The stones of this chapel come from the old church of Hoeven. Drik Martens made sure that they came to Rijsbergen. At the end of August 1945 this chapel was consecrated by an old scout, the then newly ordained priest C. de Jong, born in Zundert, former official of the Diocese of Breda. Pastor Verbunt was present at the ceremony and spoke a few words. The beautiful statue has been damaged by vandalism many times, but has been restored again and again.

During a bike ride in October 2022, I could no longer find the chapel, the chapel may have been moved or even demolished during the expansion of the buildings on Hazeldonk.

Wim Blankers