History and building
History
From clandestine church to cathedral
After the Reformation in the 16th century, Catholics, among others, were forced to practice their faith in secret. The former parish of the Geertekerk moved into a medieval house in 1634 and set it up as a clandestine church.
The current appearance of this Gertrudiskapel was mainly created during the renovation of 1697. The floors of the house were broken through, creating galleries. The baroque altar, the statues and the paintings form a coherent whole. Many of the paintings come from the studio of the Utrecht painter family Bloemaert. After the schism with the Roman Catholic Church in 1723, the Gertrudiskapel was elected as the main church of the Old Catholics.
In the 19th century, the walls of the church were painted white and gold. During the major restoration of 1991-93, however, it was discovered that the walls had probably been green. Due to the high costs, but also to preserve the building history, it was decided to restore only the west wall to its original state.
After the parish moved to the new St. Gertrudis Cathedral at the beginning of the 20th century, the chapel fell into disuse. The former clandestine church is currently part of the 'In de Driehoek' complex of halls, which can be rented for meetings and other gatherings. During the Church Viewing season, visitors can visit the special chapel under the guidance of a guide.
The construction of St. Gertrude's Cathedral
Next to the Gertrudiskapel, the Ste. Gertrudiskathedraal was built between 1912 and 1914, designed by EG Wentink. The church was built in neo-Romanesque style. This was a tribute to the demolished Romanesque Mariakerk. With the neo-Romanesque building style, the Old Catholics also wanted to clearly distinguish themselves from the Roman Catholics, who often used neo-Gothic for their church buildings.
The St. Gertrudis Cathedral is a basilica with a two-tower front. The church is clad in brick and natural stone, the central nave is covered with a wooden barrel vault. Many building elements have been borrowed from the Maria Church, such as the square towers, the three entrances and the round-arched gateways and windows. But there was also a lot of international examples. For example, the towers show similarities with those of the church in the French Puissalicon.
The murals in the triumphal arches can be found in the San Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna. Many interior pieces also have international examples, such as the wrought iron gate of the baptistery (San Praxede, Rome), the chandeliers in the nave (the Cathedral, Aachen) and the communion bench (San Apre, Tuscany).
A huge relic treasure
In the 16th century, Protestants plundered many Catholic churches. Catholics tried to save their church treasures by hiding them in houses or in other cities, such as Cologne. Some old relics show that the rescue was sometimes close. They are damaged, charred black and/or missing their expensive reliquaries. Due to the hasty rescue operations, there was often no accounting and much information was lost.
When peace had returned, the relics from various churches in the Netherlands returned to the episcopal city of Utrecht. They were kept in the Gertrudiskapel. Ultimately, this relic treasure was lost to the Roman Catholic Church when the Gertrudiskapel separated and continued as the Old Catholic Church. The Old Catholics place less emphasis on the veneration of saints, which is why the relics largely lost their function.
In 2011, art historian Anique de Kruijf completed her research into these relics. She examined and mapped all the relics. The collection includes masterpieces such as the Cunera strangulation cloth (4th century AD). Some relics have been loaned to the Museum Catharijneconvent and a number of relics can also be admired in the Ste. Gertrudiskathedraal.
St. Gertrude's Cathedral today
The Ste. Gertrudiskathedraal is still the main church of the Old Catholic community. The three Utrecht parishes, St. Jacobus, St. Marie and Ste. Gertrudis, merged in 1986.
Services are still held in the church and various activities are organised. On the left side of the church, the complex 'In de Driehoek' was built, which also includes the Gertrudiskapel. These spaces provide a centre for meetings of the parish, but also for other tenants.
Interior
The interior of the St. Gertrude Cathedral contains a wealth of church treasures. What immediately catches the eye are the many colours used in the interior. The colourful murals, mosaics, floors and windows make the interior of the St. Gertrude Cathedral unique.
Following the medieval example, the church contains much symbolism. The walls are plastered and decorated with murals by A. Federlee from Kleef. They contain many geometric and Christian motifs. The mosaic above the main entrance is also by Federlee. It shows Christ as pantokrator (the all-ruler) and the saints Willibrord and Gertrude.
The vault of the nave contains a large painting of Christ as the good shepherd, surrounded by his flock. The paintings in the right aisle are mainly inspired by faith and the Eucharist. The left aisle with the Marian altar is mainly dedicated to the life of Mary.
The church also contains many paintings by prominent 16th and 17th century Utrecht masters, such as Abraham and Hendrik Bloemaert and Jan van Bijlert. The paintings come from the clandestine churches of St. Jacobus, St. Maria Minor and St. Gertrudis.
In the right aisle is a statue of Saint Gertrude. It was made in 1860 in Belgium. Saint Gertrude (626-659) was an abbess from the Belgian Nivelles. She could pray so concentrated that, according to tradition, she did not notice when a mouse climbed up her staff. That is why she is depicted with a staff and a mouse. A mouse is also a symbol for the defense against evil.
The Maria altar is located in the left aisle. The statue of Maria with the Christ child comes from the Buurkerk and was made by Adriaan van Wezel in 1470. The statue survived the Beeldenstorm because it was hidden in time. It has been in the St. Gertrude's Cathedral since 1989. The painting behind the Maria altar shows the Domkerk and the St. Gertrude's Cathedral, with the sea with ships and a starry sky behind it. Due to an incorrect translation from Latin, Maria was sometimes also called 'star of the sea' (the Hebrew name of Maria, Maryam, means Stilla Maris in Latin, or 'drop of the sea', instead of Stella Maris 'star of the sea').
The stained glass windows around the high choir were made by Max Weiss in 1963. They depict the four fixed songs from the Eucharistic celebration. The middle rose window shows the Majesty of God with symbols that express his glory: the cross, the crown, the sword of justice and the shepherd's staff of divine grace.
Special decorations
Document box
In the northern aisle, under the statue of Saint Martin, the patron saint of the city of Utrecht and the diocese, you will find the beautiful iron chest that arouses curiosity.
It is a money and document chest from the mid-sixteenth century, with an ingenious lock and beautiful original miniatures filling the compartments. The chest stands on a wooden base, made by a parishioner.
It states that the coffin is related to the Collegium pastorum Ultrajectensium, secretly founded in 1646 by Bishop Philippus Rovenius. He brought together the pastors of the four stations in the city, the successors of the former parish churches, in order to better organize pastoral care now that the number of believers was increasing rapidly.
The coffin was brought in by pastor Faber, who came from a wealthy Frisian family. He became the first rendant (steward) within the collegium and the coffin was later, from 1740, moved with his successors in this function. The collegium still exists and the (empty) coffin has found an honorable permanent place here.
Pulpit
The pulpit was designed by HJ Koenen, supervisor during the construction of the church. The execution was on
May 22, dedicated to J. Polet in Amsterdam for the sum of 1328 guilders.
The pulpit is in the same style as the communion bench and made of stone and marble (Belgian blue), the same type of marble is also used for the high altar.
Font
The baptismal chapel of the Old Catholic Cathedral Church of Saint Gertrude is located on the west side of the church near the entrance. This location tells us that through Baptism we are included in the community of the church.
The m
The poor basin of the baptismal font is Italian work from the early 18th century. The pedestal and lid are made of wood and beautifully marbled with white and black veins, which are the same as those of the celebration altar at the front of the church. This is to indicate that Baptism and Eucharist belong together as the main sacraments. On the wall of the baptistery is a representation of Noah's Ark, as a symbol of Baptism that also saves souls through water.
The font comes from the former clandestine church of Sinte Gertrudis. There too, the font was placed on the west side of the church close to the entrance. In a medallion above the entrance gate of this baptistery we see the saying: 'He who believes and is baptized will be saved'. Also special are the two baptismal paintings that are placed on either side of the baptistery. They show the baptism of the Roman centurion and the Ethiopian respectively, both from the Biblical stories.
Organ
When the parish moved from the Gertrudiskapel to the new Ste. Gertrudiskathedraal, they took the organ with them. The Witte organ dated from 1884 and was replaced in 1968 by the current organ from the firm KB Blank en Zonen. The woodcarving is by Jeanot Bürgi and represents the creation.
Below the organ are statues of the patron saints of the Dutch Catholic Church, St. Willibrord and St. Boniface. The statues date from the 17th century and were made for the Jacobuskerk in Utrecht (Prins Bernhardplein 39). Above the statues are two murals. They depict King David with his harp and the martyr Cecilia with a small organ. They are the patron saints of (church) music.
Clocks
In this Old Catholic St. Gertrude's Cathedral hangs a three-bell chime that was partly made in 1954 (the two largest bells) by Petit & Fritsen. A third, smaller bell (Johannes) came from the Eijsbouts foundry in 1989, and was consecrated that same year by pastor Van Ditmarsch.
Weight of bells:
- Andreas, 92 cm, 485 kg.
- Willibrord, 77 cm, 280 kg.
- Johannes, 69 cm, 200 kg.
Texts clocks:
- Text Andreas: Andreas, to him who first called me, I call all who hear me.
This clock was a donation from the then Archbishop of Utrecht, Mgr. Andreas Rinkel. - Text Willibrord: Willibrord is the name given to me, I called our people to live Go(e)de.
- Text John: The Old Roman Catholic Almshouse and the Friends of the Cathedral Church donated to me (approximate translation).
Chiming bells
Gertrude's Cathedral
Furthermore, inside the St. Gertrudis is the old bell that came from the old Catholic Jacobus church in the Bemuurde Weerd (Utrecht), which closed around 1990. It was made in 1871 by Rencker & De Block, a bronze foundry in the vicinity of the Jacobus church. It measures approximately 55 cm in diameter and weighs approximately 100 kg. It does not sound with a pure tone, but then its makers were not real bell founders. Rencker & De Block was a copper and metal foundry and turning shop on the Lauwerecht, specialized in fire engines, gas lanterns and lighting for trains and trams.
In addition to the founder's name and year of casting, the names of the church (ST. JACOBUS) and the pastor at the time (GA HARDERWIJK) are mentioned on the clock.
Bibliography
- Hulzen, A. van, Utrecht churches and church buildings, Baarn 1985.
- Hoogevest, CC van, 'The hidden church of St. Gertrude' in: Monthly magazine Oud-Utrecht 64 (1991) no.
7/8. pp. 70-73.
- Edited by Peter van de Coolwijk, Gerrit-Jan Kraaij, Biem Lap, Leny Noordermeer, Nel
van de Ridder, Geo Rodermond, Ben van Spanje and Ton Tamse. In the grip of the church. 25 years
Churches Looking Utrecht, Utrecht 2007.
- Kruijf, AC de, Dust you are… A partial inventory of the relic treasure of the Old Catholic
Gertrude's Cathedral in Utrecht, Utrecht 2008.
- Teuwissen, L., 'Enormous relic treasure mapped' in: NOS News, March 24, 2011.
(…) 'The Cathedral Church of Saint Gertrude' in: Old Catholic Utrecht, March 2011.
Kruijf, AC de, Miraculously preserved, medieval Utrecht relics on the move: the treasure of the
Old Catholic Gertrude's Cathedral, Zutphen 2011.
Text: Marieke Lenferink and Lisa Olrichs
Photography: Maarten Buruma, Nina Slagmolen and André Russcher (chapel)