Basilica of St Plechelm

Basilica of St Plechelmus

The Basilica of St Plechelmus, known in Dutch as the Sint-Plechelmusbasiliek, is a significant Catholic church located in the town of Oldenzaal in the Netherlands. It is dedicated to Saint Plechelm, an 8th-century Irish monk whose festival is still celebrated annually on July 15th, a date that has been on the calendar of the medieval diocese of Utrecht since his canonisation in the 10th century.

History and Significance

The history of the church on this site stretches back to the 8th century when Saint Plechelm, a traveling missionary, founded the initial structure, the Silvester Church. This church was later rededicated to Plechelm himself before 954. In that same year, bishop Balderic of Utrecht established a chapter in Oldenzaal, undertaking an expansion and restoration of the 8th-century church. This restoration allowed for the transfer of Plechelm's relics, used during his canonisation, to the church. Consequently, the Plechelmus Church of Oldenzaal gained considerable esteem, with its chapter being one of only four outside Utrecht that held the right to participate in the election of the bishop of Utrecht during the Middle Ages.

The oldest existing parts of the current basilica date from the mid to late 12th century. A significant ecclesiastical recognition came on May 13, 1950, when the church was awarded the honorary title of basilica minor by Pope Pius XII. Further affirming its status, by royal decree on March 17, 2009, Queen Beatrix granted the basilica a coat of arms.