Open Churches Days at
Christus Koning

The expansion of the Aarschot 'periphery' made the construction of a new church a necessity. An emergency church had already been built here in 1957. A year later, architect Jos Gabriëls' plans were ready and the parish priest and former missionary Gustaaf Vermonden committed himself to the realisation. In 1963, the church was consecrated.

On the outside, the architecture resembles a shell. It suggests a certain 'security'. At the time, the freestanding tower was for many a peculiarity that violated the classical image of a church and was viewed with mixed feelings. The façade is punctuated by the decorative and pioneering glass-in-concrete structures, work by artist Maurits Nevens (1929-2017). This modernist design was inspired by the architecturally pioneering Brüder Klauskirche (1959) at Birsfelden near Basel (Switzerland).

The openness of a new spirit in liturgy manifests itself in the interior conceived as a large auditorium without obstructing the view of the central event, the altar. The self-supporting rood screen above the entrance reinforces this sense of space. The altar is accentuated by its raised placement and by the large, expressionist mural depicting the 'apocalyptic Christ'. This is also a work by Maurits Nevens. He also designed the stained-glass windows.

There are virtually no other works of art to distract attention. Of interest are the two statues of Mary in the church and in the weekly chapel by artist Willem De Backer (1910-1993).