Saint Joseph's Church, Brussels

Saint Joseph's Church (French: Église Saint-Joseph, Dutch: Sint-Jozefkerk) is a church situated on Frère Orban Square in the Leopold Quarter of Brussels, Belgium. Built between 1842 and 1849 in eclectic style, it is a national sanctuary dedicated to Saint Joseph, who has been the patron saint of Belgium since 1679.

Saint Joseph's Church
French: Église Saint-Joseph
Dutch: Sint-Jozefkerk
LocationSquare Frère Orban / Frère-Orbansquare
B-1000 City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region
CountryBelgium
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
DedicationSaint Joseph (patron saint of Belgium)
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationProtected[1]
Designated1981-05-13
Architect(s)Tilman-François Suys
Architectural typeChurch
Groundbreaking1842
Completed1849
Specifications
Number of towers2

History and Architecture

Inspired by the church of Trinità dei Monti in Rome, the architect Tilman-François Suys decided to created a church resembling one of Rome's many basilicas with a flat apse choir. The first stone of the building was laid by Cardinal Engelbert Sterckx on 6 April 1842. The Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal Giacomo Cattani, consecrated the church on 24 June 1874 and also made it the National Shrine of Saint Joseph.

The church was occupied by the Redemptorists for many decades until it was looked after by the Syriac Orthodox from 1989 to 2001. It was then acquired by the Priory of Christ the King of the Society of St. Pius X, offering a much needed place of worship for their growing number of parishioners.

The church has three naves measuring a total of 66 metres (217 feet) long and 26 metres (85 feet) wide. Its vault is 18 metres (59 feet) high and is supported by two rows of Corinthian columns that separate the two aisles of the main church.

The building received protected status through a royal decree issued on 13 May 1981.[2]

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See also
  • List of churches in Brussels

References
  1. "Bruxelles Extension Est - Eglise Saint-Joseph - Square Frère-Orban 1-3-5 - SUYS Tilman-François". www.irismonument.be. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  2. "Bruxelles Extension Est - Eglise Saint-Joseph - Square Frère-Orban 1-3-5 - SUYS Tilman-François". www.irismonument.be. Retrieved 2019-08-11.


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