Holy Cross Church, Heusden Explained

Holy Cross Church
Native Name:Dutch; Flemish: Heilig Kruiskerk
Coordinates:51.0281°N 3.7993°W
Location:Heusden, Destelbergen, Flemish Region
Country:Belgium
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Status:Parish church
Functional Status:Active
Architect:Mathias Wolters
Style:Gothic Revival

The Holy Cross Church is a church in the Belgian sub-municipality of Heusden. The church was built in 1844 on the site of an older church. It is dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The organ of the church was protected as a monument in 1980.[1] It has a 1873 case designed by Auguste Van Assche.

The church is an example of early Gothic Revival, built on the site of a church, probably from the 17th century. Two paintings by Antoon van den Heuvel (Adoration of the Magi from 1652 in the left aisle and Christ Stripped of His Clothes from 1664 behind the main altar) come from the old church.[2] Also from the old church are two portico altars in white and black marble.

The Neo-Gothic furniture dates from the 19th century.[3] The main altar in oak is by Jan Baptist Hauman from Ghent, with sculptures by Pieter De Vigne.[3] Also from the 19th century is another painting, inspired by Van Dyck, by Domien Vanden Bossche from Geraardsbergen.[4] The Neo-Gothic stalls and panelling are also in oak. There is a Neo-Gothic polychrome stone epitaph of Robert Helias d'Huddeghem from 1865, with a sculpture of the Resurrection by Leonard Blanchaert after a design by Jean-Baptiste Bethune.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Parochiekerk Heilig Kruis: orgel (Parish Church of the Holy Cross: Organ) . Vlaanderen.be . 11 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210226231810/https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/aanduidingsobjecten/9657. 26 February 2021.
  2. Book: Devos . Filip . Gids voor Vlaanderen: toeristische en culturele gids voor alle steden en dorpen in Vlaanderen . 2007 . Lannoo . 9789020959635 . 318 . 11 November 2021.
  3. Web site: Parochiekerk Heilig Kruis (Parish Church of the Holy Cross). Vlaanderen.be . 11 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211111191058/https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/35775. 11 November 2021.
  4. Web site: Wereldwijd Heusden - Heilig-Kruiskerk . www.godsnaam.be . 11 November 2021.