11 June 2007
The Easter Candle beside the main altar in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
The main altar is much more modern than the rest of the church in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007 The main altar is much more modern than the rest of the church in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
The crucifix over the main altar in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
A crucifix near the main altar in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
The crucifix over the main altar in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
Four reliquaries in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
Four reliquaries in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
A reliquary in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
As you may recall, a reliquary is a container that holds a relic. Often this means a "first class relic." That is, a piece of the corpse of a dead saint.
This particular reliquary holds a body purported to have belong to a legendary figure who was forced to marry against her will, died somehow and whose body was sighted floating down the Djill. At least, that's what I think the brocure said. This was several months ago that I took this picture and I don't think the borcure was in English. Also, I was kind of drunk. Anyway.
11 June 2007
A reliquary in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
A reliquary or monstrance in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
A reliquary is a display case for a piece of a dead saint. A monstrance is a display case to hold a consecrated host - that is, bread that has become the body of Christ.
The rise in popularity of relics happened around the same time as monstrances caught on and their similarity is not coincidental. (There's a story of a bishop who are the toe of a saint, but I'll spare you.)
11 June 2007
A monstrance in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium.
Note the solar rays around the chamber for the consecrated host.
11 June 2007
A tryptich painting of Jesus being taken down from the cross in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
Altar utensils in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
I don't know what the top two are ofr or called. The middle two are chalices. They hold wine which, when consecrated, becomes the blood of Jesus. The bottom one is a plate, which a special name that I had to memorize in fifth grade, but have since forgotten. It holds the wafers which become the body of Jesus.
11 June 2007
A monument of a dead queen, polished by the touch of tourists in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
Under the more modern cathedral, there's a crypt holding the original chapel.
11 June 2007
Under the more modern cathedral, there's a crypt holding the original chapel.
11 June 2007
In Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
A small chapel in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
The back of the crucifix over the main altar in Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 207
The chairs behind the main altar had whimsical creatures carved in them.
In Sint-Pieterskerk of Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
That Stadhuis for Louvain was just slightly ornate.
According to the guide book, it was Victor Hugo who suggested putting a statue in every nook. Before he came, I guess the nooks were empty.
Belgium
11 June 2007
That Stadhuis for Louvain was just slightly ornate.
According to the guide book, it was Victor Hugo who suggested putting a statue in every nook. Before he came, I guess the nooks were empty.
Belgium
11 June 2007
The Stadhuis dominates the Grote Markt in Leuven, Belgium
The building directly ahead is the Tafelrond
11 June 2007
That Stadhuis for Louvain was just slightly ornate.
According to the guide book, it was Victor Hugo who suggested putting a statue in every nook. Before he came, I guess the nooks were empty.
Belgium
11 June 2007
That Stadhuis for Louvain was just slightly ornate.
According to the guide book, it was Victor Hugo who suggested putting a statue in every nook. Before he came, I guess the nooks were empty.
Belgium
11 June 2007
That Stadhuis for Louvain was just slightly ornate.
According to the guide book, it was Victor Hugo who suggested putting a statue in every nook. Before he came, I guess the nooks were empty.
Belgium
11 June 2007
Leuven also had some Virgin Mary statues on building corners.
Belgium
11 June 2007
St. Micheal's Church. The facade was constructed between 1650 1671.
In Leuven, Belgium
11 June 2007
This building is part of a complex called Great Beguinage.
These residential settlements were originally for women widowed by the crusades, but then became monastic settlements for women. Today, this one is used mostly as student housing for the large university in town (the oldest in BeNeLux).
In Leuven, Belgium
