Our Lady of the Assumption
Kerkstraat
9968 Bassevelde (Assenede)
Church | XIII-XIX | Gothic | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 January - 31 December
Mon 9.00 - 16.00
Tue 9.00 - 16.00
Wed 9.00 - 16.00
Thu 9.00 - 16.00
Fri 9.00 - 16.00
Sat 9.00 - 16.00
Sun 9.00 - 16.00
Guided tour
Religious offices
Description
This Gothic brick church with its octagonal tower makes a fine ensemble with its graveyard and surrounding wall.
On the outside there is a Calvary with Christ on the cross in wood (1829) under a slate shelter. Above in a baroque framed niche sits a plaster virgin and child.
The oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century but the main aspect of the church now is 18th century. In 1848 the building was enlarged with three bays.
The richness of the church comes from its 19th century furnishings: the pulpit, the communion tables, the confessionals, the rood screen, the pews, the organ and the main altar. There are wooden statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul painted white and neo–gothic polychrome statues of Saint Theresa, Saint Roch, Saint Antony, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Sacred Heart of Mary and Our Lady of Lourdes. Beneath the pulpit is a Pieta.
The church is in the village square with a picturesque kiosk and well, surrounded by chestnut trees.
Photos
Media
Remarkable elements
High Altar
The altar table is partly gilded marble and partly painted wood. The Christogram can be found between the four Corinthian columns. The neoclassical altar was a gift from Marcharius Peers (Mayer of Bassevelde,1818). The tabernacle has the chalice carrying the Eucharist, which is accompanied by two winged angels heads. The tabernacle underneath is partly gilded metal, bearing the image of The Book of Revelation’s lamb. The altar is crowned with a cross-bearing globe, along with a snake.
Side altar St. Agatha
The side altar, flanked by two columns, on the south side is an altar dedicated to St. Agatha. The altar table itself was created out of white marble. The painted plaster statue, located in the round arch niche, is that of St. Agatha. The painting above the altar is by the hand of Vermeirsch (Zaffelare,1868) and depicts the “Administration of the last rites”. This painting is flanked by two Corinthian columns and crowned by two winged angels with garlands on a frieze with a leaf cornice.
Confessional
The oak confessional (baroque) in the back of the north aisle is lavishly decorated with classic elements such as Corinthian Solomonic columns, and a frieze with volutes and griffins. “Ghegeven by Jan Mariman fs lans 1673” can be read on the oval cartouche with angels.
Stained glass windows
The old stained glass windows in the chancel were made by Samual Coucke (Bruges) and date back to 1887. They represent St. Anthony and St. Agatha. They were restored in 2006 by Erwin Sneyders (Moerbeke). The modern stained glass windows are from 1972 and are the work of Michel Martens (Bruges).
Pulpit and comunionrail
Designed by J. Nimmegeers in 1830, the double stair pulpit shows four marble reliefs of Faith, Hope, Love and the Good Shepherd. A dove amid clouds and golden rays crowns it. The communion rail displays leaves, grapevines, apostles and twelve medallions with symbols such as the Pelican, the Ark, the Emmaus scene, Mary’s monogram, the manna harvest, angels, the Paschal Lamb, Jesus’ monogram, Laban and Jacob, the shewbread and the Lamb of the Apocalypse.
