Have you ever spent hours walking behind the statue of a saint with a pair of wings tied around your shoulders? Have you dressed Jesus, rocked him to sleep or laid him in the tomb? Or perhaps offered your best jewellery to a bleeding host?
Forgotten rituals
Until quite recently, religion played an important role in everyday life in this region. The calendar was marked by Christian holy days and rituals, which brought communities together. Almost everybody participated. But today, we are no longer familiar with these traditions, though many of the objects that played a central role in them have survived. Including in the collection at M.
This collection presentation introduces you to forgotten customs based on extraordinary religious objects that were intended to be both moved and moving. You see the extensive wardrobe and silver accessories of a statue that was carried in procession, but also a house altar, valuable reliquaries and special cultic objects. Often fragile, tactile, precious and the work of skilled craftspeople, each of these intriguing pieces was made to be touched and moved but also to move people spiritually.
Brought back to life
Through personal testimonies and historical images, the presentation brings old rituals back to life. At the same time, these historical traditions are juxtaposed with contemporary forms of veneration and worship. And the link with Leuven is never far away: the majority of the exhibited objects come from important churches and historical sites in Leuven.
During your visit
Ready to visit M? All the texts and audio that you can use during your visit can also be consulted digitally.
Een maandelijkse update van wat er in M te beleven valt?
Op de hoogte blijven van alle initiatieven, activiteiten en tentoonstellingen van M? Schrijf je hieronder in op de nieuwsbrief en dan zorgen wij op onze beurt voor jouw maandelijkse portie nieuws van M.
