The Chapel of the Capuchins

The Chapel of the Capuchins

The Chapel of St. Anthony, named for its principal Patron Saint, is known as the Chapel ofthe Capuchins after the order of Franciscan monks who were responsible for itsconstruction. It was completed in 1659, but not consecrated until 1666. The works ofart thatadorn the three altarsshow scenes from the lives of the Saints to whom the Chapel isdedicated; St Francis, St Anthony of Padua and The Virgin Mary. The Chapel once housed Our Lady of Stavelot, a ‘Sedes Sapientiae’ (Seat of Wisdom) carved in wooddating to the13th century, originally located in the first Abbey at Stavelot. It is now held in the Treasury ofthe Church of St. Sebastian.In 1798, after the French revolution, themonastery was acquired by the Malacord family,and in 1867 theInstitutSaint-Remacle was established there. The Chapel was used onmany occasions as an electoral office before being reclaimed, and is the only part of thecomplex in its original state. It has been recognised officially as an historic monument, bothfor its appearance and interior, and this classification allowed for a full restoration to becommenced in 2003. Blessed with a fine acoustic, it is presently used for a variety of musical purposes includingconcerts and recordings. Because the humidity and temperature inside the building arestable, the Chapel is particularly friendly to performers using gut-stringed early instruments.The Chapel is also home to a 17th century organ that has undergone severaltransformations over the years, and is now awaiting awell-deserved restoration.