Jo (78) Van Thienen is hardly dragged by the candles. He is the manager of the chapel of the holy oak. Around 150,000 people come to this place of pilgrimage in the forests of Oirschot. It is about tourists, but especially people who light a candle with Maria.
The inhabitants of Oirschot chose this as the most important tradition that should not be lost. That is why it was declared an intangible heritage by the municipality in May. Jo has to ensure that there are enough candles ready every day and that it stays neat.
“This all goes through in a week,” he says. He has just dragged one box after the other and placed it in the racks. “On special days we have to supplement several times. It remains a phenomenon that people come here to light a candle.”
“They come here from far and wide.”
The inhabitants of Oirschot are only attached to ‘their’ chapel. The municipality makes a list of traditions of the village that should not be lost. ‘Lighting a candle in the chapel at Mary of the Holy Eik’ was chosen by the inhabitants as the most important tradition that must be preserved. In May, this tradition was therefore the first to come to the Intangible Heritage Oirschot inventory.
“They come here from far and wide. From Belgium, Breda, Limburg. People come here for the same goal: to light a candle. There will also be a lot of Eastern Europeans who experience religion differently than Brabanders. You are admiring it with admiration.”
Jo is told very different reasons. “During the exam results it was busy here with mothers who came to light a candle. Whether people come to commemorate the deceased. I think a candle lights extra strength.” He himself does that with some regularity. “On the day of death of someone or on the birthday of someone who is no longer there.”
Cees van Vugt from Steenbergen is on vacation in the neighborhood with his wife. “We come here every year and we always go here immediately. We are a Catholic.” He also lights a candle. “My thoughts are of course mainly with family and acquaintances. And peace, because the world is of course full of misery.”
His wife Corrie learns the candle for the children and grandchildren. “That it can all go well. This is just part of it. When you are cycling, you will come across chapels. They are usually smaller. This is a large, beautiful chapel.”
“At first too little was left to the candles.”
With a notebook in hand, Jo counts how many candles it is per year. After some counting, he comes to an average of 90,000 candles per year. The large candles cost five euros. The small candles a euro, while at the beginning of this year it was half. “It was not enough left over, but now it can be done. The cost is pretty and the supplier is busy producing Biokersjes.” Part of the chapel can be maintained of the proceeds.
The chapel is old, but in one thing they are very modern here: nowadays you can also pay digitally with a QR code. “Previously there were people who always had to change. That hardly happens anymore.”
Summer column
The regional reporters of Omroep Brabant bring summer columns from their region in August. You read and view them online and in the news broadcast on television. Today, reporter Rogier van Son (Eindhoven region) is visiting a special chapel in Oirschot.
Do you have news for Rogier? Send your tip to: [email protected].