Saint Anthony Church with Lourdes grotto
Saint Anthony Church
Kortrijk experienced significant population growth in the nineteenth century, necessitating new parish churches. The Passionist Fathers settled around the Veemarkt, establishing a monastery, a school, and the Saint Anthony Church (1873). The church became a popular place for confession. This protected monument is built in the Neo-Romanesque style.
Brother Isidore was a figure who captured the imagination. He had fragile health when he arrived in the Veemarkt area in 1912. Therefore, in 1913, after a year as a cook, he was given the less demanding task of porter. He tried to help everyone who came to him during World War I, earning the nickname ‘Brother Good’. Brother Isidore died in 1916, but even after his death, he continued to inspire people. In 1952, the streets were filled with people when Brother Isidore’s body was transferred to the new tomb in Saint Anthony Church. In 1984, he was even beatified.
Step inside, and you will immediately notice the colorful murals. This is the heart of popular devotion in Kortrijk. The tomb of Blessed Brother Isidore is located in a side chapel.
Lourdes grotto
The Lourdes grotto immediately catches the eye of most visitors. The replica grotto on Veldstraat was consecrated by Monsignor Waffelaert on February 11, 1908, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the first apparition of Mary in Lourdes.
Since that day, a visit to Saint Anthony Church is often concluded with a reflective moment at the Lourdes Grotto, an oasis of tranquility in the bustling city.
