Saint John the Baptist
Leo Kempenaersstraat 28
2223 Schriek (Heist-op-den-Berg)
Church | XIV-1844 | Gothic, Classical | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
24 June - 15 August
Mon -
Tue -
Wed -
Thu -
Fri -
Sat -
Sun 13.00 - 17.00
Religious offices
Description
It was probably Gilles Berthout, the lord of Malines who had the church at Schriek built after 1303.Previously Schriek had not been an independent parish.
Of this first church, which had five altars, only the tower in white sandstone remains. The semi-circular arch of the portal still recalls its Romanesque style. Lightening in 1654 and renovations in 1687 added some Gothic elements to the tower, such as the openwork of the windows and openings and the renaissance style of alternating horizontal layers of brick and stone.
After 1794 during the French revolution, the lateral naves were enlarged, raised and extended up to the tower. All was covered by a large saddleback roof. During its enlargement in 1844 it was improved with a large transept, a raised choir surrounded by an apse, two side altars and a sacristy. Thus the church regained its form of a Latin cross.
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Photos
Remarkable elements
Main altar
This baroque altar is dedicated to John the Baptist. In 1646 joiner Frans Van Roey started work on the altar but it took several periods of time to finish. The picture above the altar is probably a mistake. It shows a scene of a Calvary with the Holy Mary, Mary Magdalen and John the Evangelist instead of John the Baptist. Two life-sized wooden sculptures, made by P. Valckx from Malines, depict the Holy Mary with baby Jesus, her niece Elisabeth with the young John. The wooden altar surface was replaced in 1817 by a marble tomb.
Relic shrines
The church has two relic shrines. That of St. John the Baptist is a polychrome wooden sculpture made by Dominicus Borré in 1746. The shrine of St. Anthony of Padua was donated by Mrs. Marie-Françoise van Grootendael, widow of steward Zety and dates from 1718.
Organ
The organ was built for the Brotherhood of the Holy Mary in Aalst in 1716 and was transferred here in 1807 by organ builder Loret. In that same year Petrus Boels made the organ casing, the organ loft and railing. In 1855 the loft was raised and expanded. In 1924 and electric system of bellows was fitted.
Pulpit
In 1848 the church acquired a new, beautifully sculpted pulpit. The woodwork was done by Francis Van den Eynde, the sculptures and carvings are by De Preter (Borgerhout). An unusual, double staircase leads to the pulpit itself.
Stations of the Cross
Painted in canvas by Jos Van Aerschot, the Stations of the Cross were a gift by countess Marie Julie Josephine van der Stegen de Schrieck in 1822. The oak frames were made by Fr. Van den Eynde. In 2004-2005 the Stations of the Cross were thoroughly restored.
