Schimmert / Schimorta / Sjömmert

Two baptismal fonts here are noted in the entry for Schimmert Sint Remigiuskerk in Reliwiki [https://reliwiki.nl/index.php/Schimmert,_Hoofdstraat_86_-_Remigius] [accessed 23 December 2021]: one of which was made of bluish limestone in 1570, dated by an inscription; the second font, not dated, was made of black marble probably in the early 18th century. In a communication to BSI (e-mail of 9 December 2021) Pol Herman writes: "In the oldest memorial book (847) of the abbey of St. Remigius in Reims we find Schimmert mentioned as “Schimorta”. It appears from the memorial book that the abbey had taxes and other possessions in Schimmert. These possessions expanded even further when in 968 Queen Gerberga donated the Palatine of Meerssen with the surrounding villages and lands to the Archabbey of Reims. At least on Sundays there was a Holy Mass in Schimmert's chapel and confession was heard by one of the chaplains. For the other sacraments they had to rely on the main church in Meerssen. Baptisms were to be received in the chapel only in emergencies. This also applied to funerals and marriages. it took until the 16th century before Schimmert became an independent parish. The exact date of its founding is difficult to determine. It could probably be 1570. This date can be deduced from the text from the State Archives in Brussels from 1654, written by provost Petrus Hanonius van Meerssen: "The provosts of Meerssen - after having noted the great dangers that threatened the children , who died on the way from the cold and bad weather - had a baptismal font installed in the churches of Amby, Bunde, Schimmert and Houthem, which were only chapels, depending on Meerssen, and elevated the said rectorates to parishes, with allocation of the canonical share on the tithe." A second clue to that date can be found in the recovered font. The year 1570 can be recognized in it. This means that the churches of Amby, Bunde and Houtem could have had a similar font."