St. Bavo's Chapel, younger than you think

In remarkably recent times, Ludo Collin, canon in the Diocese of Ghent, had a chapel erected on the corner of a meadow next to the parental farm on the occasion of his silver jubilee as a priest. The chapel was consecrated on Sunday 27 August 2000 by Bishop Arthur Luysterman, Bishop of Ghent.

This brick niche chapel has a slate gable roof with a wooden frame. In the tip of the façade we see the year 2000 engraved in a small bluestone block. At the bottom there is the inscription Sint-Bavo B.V.O. (Pray For Us).

In the barred niche is a modern ceramic statue of Saint Bavo, made by Paul De Bruyne, a ceramist from Ghent. Bavo is depicted here as a knight-nobleman with a sword and falcon. The choice of this saint was clear: Ludo Collin was rector of St. Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent. The birthplace of this saint, who was also Count of Hesbaye and related to the Pepijn van Landen family, is said to be in Overwinden.

Jan Rymenams