Kortrijk No. 1 / Cortryck / Courtrai

A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 28 December 2022) provided the information below. A baptismal font belonging to the Kruisbroeders [aka Crvisbroeders] , a Kortrijk guild founded in 1451, is documented by Victor Acke in 'Les fonts baptismaux des Kruisbroeders, un croquis annoté de M. Victor Acke', in Mémoires du Cercle Historique et Archéologique de Courtrai, VII, 1928 [Acke's article appears in Varia Cortracensia [cf. ImagesArea]]. The Kruisbroeders had their own private chapel “Overbeek” located at the Sint-Nicolaas hospital, a bbuilding that still exists [cf. ImagesArea]; the chapel had a baptismal font, a brass basin on a stone base, with an inscription on the rim : “Minnelijk van herte door het Kruis ons Heeren”. The oldest known deed mentioning this chapel dates from March 8, 1357, in which the bishop of Tournai confirms the foundation of a chaplain attached to the “hospitale Sancti Nicolaii”. The hospital was probably mainly responsible for the reception of travellers and pilgrims. On September 14, 1362, the bishop of Tournai confirmed the foundation of a monastery attached to the hospital. The nuns gradually expanded the activity to the treatment of the sick. Because the hospital nuns claimed the exclusive use of this chapel, at an unknown date the Kruisbroeders moved to the Sint-Maarten church, where they were given a side chapel for their services. The font also moved. When a new parish was founded in the city quarter “Overleye” (1875), the font was given in 1878 to the new Sint-Elooi parish church (consecrated 1884). However, in 1890 a new neogothic font was bought, that still stands in the Sint-Elooi church today. The font of the Kruisbroeders was sold to an antiques dealer, and is since lost without leaving a trace. A further communication from Pol Herman (e-mail fo 9 May 2023) updated the earlier information on the 'lost' font: "Thanks to some minute hints on Google Books, I suspected that a local antiques dealer at Kortrijk had a bronze baptismal font in his private collection. After some communication with historians of the local university, I succeeded to get in contact. He sent me pictures and some documentation that proves that the font has survived and is no longer lost. Inscription : 1571, the bronze caster mark GVA, and the text “Minnelic van herten deur t’cruus ons Heren” (gracious at heart through the cross of the Lord). Location : Ignace Van Canneyt, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwstraat 44, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium"