Basilica of Our Lady of Tongre

Basilica of Our Lady of Tongre
Notre Dame de Tongre(French)
Basic information
Location Belgium Chièvres
Geographic coordinates 50°34′53.9″N 3°46′31.58″E / 50.581639°N 3.7754389°ECoordinates: 50°34′53.9″N 3°46′31.58″E / 50.581639°N 3.7754389°E
Affiliation Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Minor basilica, Parish
Website
Architectural description
Architect(s) J.F. Demarbaix
Architectural type Church
Architectural style Baroque
Direction of façade SW
Completed 1777[1]
Specifications
Length 60 metres (200 ft)
Width 20 metres (66 ft)

The Basilica of Our Lady of Tongre (French: Basilique de Notre Dame de Tongre) is a Roman Catholic parish church and minor basilica in Tongre-Notre-Dame, Chièvres, Belgium. Designed by architect J.F. Demarbaix, it is the smallest basilica of Belgium.

History

In his book dedicated to the pilgrimage site of Tongre-Notre-Dame, 17th century historian Father Huart [2] describes the apparition of the station of the Virgin Mary:

“ The miraculous apparition of the statue of Notre-Dame de Tongre was visibly brought by angels through a white, bright cloud into the gardens of the castle of Sir Hector, Lord of the place, at about 11 o’clock in the evening of the first day of February, in the year 1081 ”

A chapel was erected on March 27, 1081. In 1093, Pope Urban II established the brotherhood of Our Lady of Tongre. In the 13th century, the original chapel was replaced by a Gothic church. In 1777, it was decided to build a larger church. Pope Pius XII gave the title of minor basilica in 1951.

Romanesque statue of our Lady of Tongre (1081)

Notes

  1. ↑ Mardaga, Pierre (1988), Le patrimoine monumental de la Belgique (in French) 13, Editions Mardaga, pp. 617–618, ISBN 2-8021-0086-6
  2. ↑ Huart 1662, p. 11

References