Church Sainte-Cathérine Bras la Basse

Construction of St Catherine's Church began in 1789. Inside, the 17th century altar comes from the Carmelite Monastery in Marche-en-Famenne. Outside, a few tombstones are worth a look.

Saint-Cathérine or Catharina is one of the fourteen emergency helpers. She is invoked as a protector against the plague and to guard chastity. She is also sometimes seen as a protector during childbirth.

The legend:

Catharina, according to the oldest tradition, came from a glorious patrician family and was the daughter of Costus, the governor of Alexandria. She knew all of Plato's works by heart when she was only fifteen. She was devoted to Jesus with all her heart and soul, and promised him her virginity. No sooner had she done so than Emperor Maxentius fell in love with her. On her refusal to become the second lady at court after his wife, he wanted to force her to renounce her faith under the threat of horrific torture. He also sent forty pagan philosophers to convert her, but instead of converting Catherine to paganism, the scholars were converted to Christianity during the discussion with Catherine. The emperor then wanted her to be crushed with a wheel on which sharp iron points were mounted. Instead of Catherine, however, the wheel broke, struck by lightning. He wanted to burn her, but the fire dispersed and burned the executioners. Finally managed to behead her. Milk flowed from her neck wound and delivered the city from the plague. Her body was taken by angels to Mount Sinai, where it was found by pilgrims around AD 800. It was still in good condition. The Katharina Monastery was later built next to the mountain.

Willem Vandenameele