Sint-Servaas

Confessionals

Willem Kerrickx made all the confessionals before 1718. The “open confessional” is the forerunner of our confessionals where the believers sit isolated from the others. Each confessional has a big back wall decorated with five medallions depicting the Twelve Apostles. The Four Evangelists are named. Each confessional also has some large statues that represent persons or symbols. The Holy Spirit is depicted in the centre of the confessional located on the right at the back. He is accompanied by statues of the Divine Virtues (from left to right): Hope (anchor), Religion, the seal of Confession (with a finger on the mouth) and justice.

Statue of Our Lady

This statue of Our Lady has been honored since time immemorial: it is a sitting crowned Madonna with baby Jesus on her lap and a dove in her hand. In the vernacular it is known as 'Our Lady under the tower' because it used to be in the centre of the previous church and the tower used to be between the choir and the nave. The statue was lost for years until they found it in 1925 hidden in the vaults. The priest at the time had it restored.

Choir stalls

The impressive late baroque choir stalls have been decorated abundantly with little columns, frames, leaves with cherubs and other little heads, birds and animals, medallions, masks and leaf motives. Saints and blessed of the Norbertine order further decorate the choir stalls. Four artworks made by Richard of Orlet and ordered by Abbot Augustinus van Eeckhout (1717-1747) for this church hang above the choir stalls. The series begins on the left with the "Conversion of Saint Norbert". On the next one a kneeling Norbert is asking Pope Honorius II to approve his order. On the right is the Apostle from Antwerp preaching at the city on the banks of the Scheldt. The final artwork shows the Triumph of Norbert on Tankelm.

Tombstones

The importance of the abbey can be deduced from the fact that many noblemen and abbots were buried here. A verdict of Joseph II put an end to these burials . The most remarkable is the Resurrection monument where death (a skeleton) and time (an old man with a beard and wings) depict the impermanence of things. A list of all the abbots who once lived at the abbey is engraved in the middle. The chubby angel with the trumpet of joy and the hourglass of the unstoppable time appear to refer to the joy of the moment of resurrection.The numbers indicate the year that abbot Herman de Munck (1698-1712) ordered this mausoleum. The Prince monument is more sober. The prince of Grimbergen, Knight of the Golden Fleece and governor of Brussels, is looking at the altar while kneeling devoutly. He was a benefactor of the church and prepared his own tomb. Unfortunately he died on the field and the tomb has been empty ever since...

Sacristy

The sacristy can be reached by a door on the left in the choir. It was expanded in 1763 by abbot Jan-Baptist Sophie from Brussels, whose weapon can be seen above the door. The biggest sacristy of our country (15,5 m long, 11m wide and 6,8m high) is decorated with a beautiful fresco. It depicts Saint Norbert on his way to heaven while he is greeted by saints and angels who all carry attributes that characterize the life of the saint. The anonymous painter was inspired by Italian artists' use of color and perspective.

Norbert's altar

There used to be 15 Flemish paintings in the church before the fire of September 10, 1993. The one above the Norbert's altar is the oldest painting in this church: Norbert receives the white plumage from the hands of Mary. To the right hangs a canvas by a Flemish master that depicts the "Triumph of the Eucharist on Philosophy, Science, Poetry and Nature". It is an exceptional copy of a painting by Rubens, which currently hangs in the Louvre in Paris. It depicts a decorated chariot on which the Faith is pulled triumphantly by angels. The woman holding the chalice with the host looks at the people following her: Science (a man with a beard holding a book and a globe), the grey-haired Philosophy, the laureate young men Poetry and the young woman Nature with four breasts. The coloring of the background symbolizes the recently discovered continents. The message that Jesus is the Savior of all people, is of all times.

Pulpit

The monumental pulpit was made by Henry-Frans Verbruggen. Norbert and Augustine and in between them the contested figure of Tankelm, carry the tub where the priest takes place to proclaim God's word. The tub is decorated with images of the Church Fathers (Jerome, Gregory and Ambrose) and symbolic depictions of the four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). The roof is more than remarkable when you think about the fact that it is suspended on only one cable. On top is a statue of Saint Servatius, patron saint of the parish church. On the corners, there are angels with the attributes of the cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, temperance and strength. Angels of the Old and New Testament are depicted on the banisters.