Sainte-Julie

Shrine of Saint Julie

A pure Gothic work of art, the shrine of Saint Julie Billiart was executed by Mr. Dehin's workshops in Liège on the occasion of Julie's beatification on May 13, 1906. The shrine is made of fine gold plated copper and contrasting reliefs in silver plated copper. On each façade, there are scenes from Julie's life. On the base, we can read in Latin: Body of Blessed Julie Billiart, that Pope Pius X, the III of the Ides of May 1906, among the celestial (blessed) placed, by Thomas Louis Heylen, Bishop of Namur, the V of the Ides of April (April 9) of the same year, deposited in this shrine. 

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

Statue of Saint Julie

This statue in white Carrara marble was made with great finesse by the Italian sculptor Tripisciano on the occasion of the beatification of Julie Billiart (1906). It was placed in 1907 in the chapel of the garden of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Namur where Julie Billiart was buried. In 2012, when the Sisters' Heritage Centre was created, the statue was moved to the convent church

Oak altar

De style néo-gothique, ce très bel autel en chêne semble sorti d’un même atelier, celui de François de Tombay, sculpteur né à Liège (1808-1872).  Seule la Vierge porte une signature sur son socle : «Fçois De Tombay, sculpteur 1854».  L’autel renferme les reliques des saints martyrs : saint Amand et saint Clément.  Des statuettes en chêne de grands fondateurs d’ordres évoquent la vie de l’Eglise où s’insère l’œuvre de Julie Billiart : saint Ignace, saint Augustin, saint Grégoire le Grand, saint François de Sales, saint Norbert et saint Vincent de Paul.  A l’origine, cet autel en bois fut installé dans la chapelle du jardin des Sœurs de Notre-Dame de Namur.  Après la béatification de Julie en 1906, la châsse contenant les restes de la bienheureuse fut placée sous l’autel.  C’est en 2012 que l’autel fut déplacé dans l’église Sainte-Julie.

Vault

The church of the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Namur was destroyed after the bombings of 1940 and 1944. Mr Rossomme, an architect from Namur, was in charge of the plans for the rebuilding of the congregation's mother house. He drew up the plan for the new church, which was soon to be built on the site of the old one. The contractor was Mr. Henry, Rhodius-Deville. Work began in February 1950. The church was rebuilt in a kind of modernised Romanesque style; hence the use of the semicircular arch for the vault. The church was consecrated on August 2, 1951.

Heritage Centre

The Heritage Centre was built in 2012 in the nave of the Sainte-Julie church. It preserves the history of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Namur through writings, symbols, photos and images from its foundation to the present day. Four themes are developed: the story of Saint Julie and Françoise Blin de Bourdon, founders of the congregation; the expansion of the congregation, the mission and ministries of the sisters and the spirituality of Saint Julie.

Portrait of Saint Julie Billiart

"In 1813, as a concession to the urgent requests of the co-founder, Mother Julie had promised an artist, the Lord Jacquin, to immortalise her face on canvas. Names and a few houses (the two foundations in Ghent and Gembloux) contain the originals, copies were made and spread over all houses. In the church the original from Ghent is exhibited, the one from Namur was burned during the bombardments in the 2nd World War.

Sainte Julie / Dames de choeur - campagne 2021

A l’origine de nombreuses écoles gratuites pour jeunes filles pauvres, Julie Billiart était une Française qui à l’âge de 7 ans aurait trouvé sa vocation : l’éducation.
Un musée adossé à l’église lui est consacré.