Full text |
x to %Virewx. WALCOURT. Route 38. 367
astaus, Bp. of Tongres, was burnt and rebuilt 1024-7, the W. Tower
slates from this period; the remainder of the edifice was almost
aentirely rebuilt by Count Thierry de Rochefort in 1347. Though
apetween 1429 and 1878 the town was taken and pillaged no-less
usdhan 7 times, the church escaped; it is now heing restored. It is
= 48 aisled cruciform building; the Choir, 1st pointed, is very long
paand has a polygonal termination with ambulatory and projecting
d2hapels, mostly flamboyant; the Nave and S. Trans. are of the
satransition style; the N. Trans. and Aisles partly middle pointed
sand partly flamboyant; the N. Aisle has a fine porch adorned
jwith numerous niches and an elegant rose window ; the door of
oilthe §. Trans. is ornamented with iron work of the XIII cent.
(The W. Tower is square and of pure Romanesque style; the spire
rodabove, with its numerous dormer windows and pear-shaped termii-
ivs(nation, flanked by 4 smaller spires, all surmounted by elegant
so~weathercocks, was erected in 1432. The Stalls are quaintly
cgsarved in early Renaissance style with caricatures of monks, some
7 lof which are grossly indecent; the Baptistery is of the XVI cent. ;
gfithe Font, which is 1st’ pointed and hexagonal, is supported by an
siotoctagonal pillar and adorned with 4 carved heads; the Rood-
+9iscreen, 1531, has been recently removed to the W. end of ‘the
gnave; it is finely carved with bas-reliefs and statues of Saints in
i(niches; some of the Confessionals are also well carved; the
Pulpit, also finely carved, was sold a few years ago. In the Chapel
(of the B, V. are a miraculous image of the XIV cent., and 415
“paintings repr. the principal miracles that have taken place here;
$20,000 pilgrims from different parts of Belgium, France and Ger-
mmany flock hither to the annual procession on Trinity Sun., insti-
‘tuted in 1317 and kept up ever since. Inthe Sacristy are several
avery fine ReLiquantgs, etc.: 4, a double branched altar-cross of
svlsilver gilt, 3 ft. 41 in. high, with fleurs-de-lisées ends; it is orna-
jofmented with vine-leaves, grapes, flowers, precious stones, cameos
jafand enamels; on the reverse are champlevé enamels black and
floagold; these repr. the 4 Evangelists and the genealogical tree of
,eeal Jesse : the Christ, superscription and skull, of silver, are modern :
(ithe foot, of copper gilt, of the Renaissance period, 1s elegantly
-g designed; set in it are 6 enamels similar to those at the hack of
giiithe cross repr. scenes from the lives of Christ and the B. V.,and
ufi Ga figure of S. Hubert. 2, A monstrance; 4 salamanders sus-
ied tain a base richly decorated with leaves, flowers and grapes, and
j6 adorned with enamels and precious. stones; 4 niches with trian-
3 gular gables, in each of which is an angel, complete the hase, and
i7q@ Support 4 silver colamns, enamelled with black, which sustain a
«109 cornice, the spaces between being occupied by 4 pieces of crystal,
sould through which a lovely little cross, a perfect miniature of ne 1, is
si19q perceived ; above is an elegant tower with 4 gables and a. spire; |