St. Rumbold's Cathedral

St. Rumbold's Cathedral (Dutch: Sint-Romboutskathedraal) is the Belgian metropolitan archiepiscopal cathedral in Mechelen, dedicated to Saint Rumbold, Christian missionary and martyr who had founded an abbey nearby. His remains are rumoured to be buried inside the cathedral. State-of-the-art examination of the relics honoured as Saint Rumbold's and kept in a shrine in the retro-choir, showed a life span of about 40 years and a death date between 580 and 655, while tradition had claimed 775 AD.

Construction of the church itself started shortly after 1200, and it was consecrated in 1312, when part had become usable. From 1324 onwards the flying buttresses and revised choir structure acquired characteristics that would distinguish Brabantine Gothic from French Gothic. After the city fire of 1342, the Master Mason Jean d'Oisy managed repairs and continued this second phase, which by the time of his death in 1375 formed the prototype for that High Gothic style. (Source: Wikipedia)

St. Rumbold's Cathedral

A Chapel named: “Schoonjanskapel”

This chapel is named : “Schoonjanskapel”, according to Jan Schoonjans who founded a wealthy chapel in 1380. In 1682 the guild of Saint Lucas found shelter here. The triptych (1603) “Saint Lucas painting the Madonna’s portrait” with the side panels: “Saint John in boiling oil” and “The vision of Saint John on the isle of Patmos” is by Abraham Janssens (1567-1632). Saint Lucas was the patron of the painters and sculptors who were gathered in that guild.

The stained glass window represents “The Adoration of the Magi” and the side panels show Saint Adolf and Saint Elisabeth of Thuringen, patrons of the givers. It was placed in 1891 by Leopold Pluys.

Arnold van Zellaer’s memorial tablet comes from the chapel of Our-Lady of Zellner. Above there is an epitaph of Joachim Gilis (†1687), major of a Walloon regiment, and of his wife Anne Le Boiteulx. The little niche in the memorial stone contained a Saint-Anne-Treesome that disappeared since 1914. The small white statue, madonna with child, is donated by the Scone Jhan association.

The brass lectern in renaissance style was cast by Jan II Cauthals in 1591 according to a design of Libert van Eeghem. The lectern is decorated with the scutcheon of archbishop Hauchinus who bequeathed the money for it. The choir-seat dates from 1626.

High against the wall there hangs a painting by Egidius-Jozef Smeyers (1694-1771) “Assumption of the Holy Virgin”.

Schoonjans-chapel