The Virga Jesse Basilica houses a 14th century statue of the virgin Mary as the Virga Jesse, the senior most venerated patron of the city of Hasselt. The original chapel dates back to 1334. The current building is the post-Second World War restoration of the 1727 chapel.
| 🎫 Tickets | € 0,- |
| 🕐 Opening hours | Adoration and visits: 09:00 – 17:00 Services: – every weekday at 17:30 – every Sunday at 10:00 and 17:30 |
| ⏱️ Time needed | 30 minutes |
| 📚 What to visit? | The Virga Jesse statue, and a stained glass donated by the People of Hasselt A baroque altar and a confessional used by the Blessed Valentinus Paquay. |
Virga Jessebasiliek
Kapelstraat 14A
3500 Hasselt
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I know them quite well, the stories about the miracles of the Virga Jesse of Hasselt. And no doubt I will someday write more about them. But to me, this church is one of those places that are quintessential. Even though not many locals remember, the Virga Jesse is Hasselt. And Hasselt is the Virga Jesse.
But maybe I am biased: a replica hung at my grandparents home, always watching over us. And that feeling of safety and ‘grandparenliness’ got imprinted on her. My grandparents are no more. But that statue is still watching over me, from her place on the mantle piece.
Similar sights
Virga Jesse
One of the patron saints of the city is the Mother Mary as the Virga Jesse. The local hospital, a highschool,… and this basilica are all built in her name. Each year the people carry the statue through the parish and every seven years there are big celebrations in the patron’s honour.
The title comes from the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament, where it says: “Et egredietur virga de stirpe Iesse, et flos de radice eius ascendet“(Isaiah 11:1, Nova Vulgata) The common English translation is “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” (ESV) This is in reference to the family tree of Christ. The Jesse (or Yishai) mentioned is the father of king David.
Clothing used in the veneration of the Virga Jesse statue are important Flemish heritage pieces. You can have a look at them at the Stadsmus.
Church history
The chapel was first built as the ‘Clerckenkapel’ (Cleric’s Chapel) in 1334 by the Brotherhood of Our Lady. It houses the 14th Century statue of the Virga Jesse.
A new late-Baroque/ early-Classical building was completed in 1727. That building was heavily bombed in the night of 3 and 4 November 1944. It was rebuild by 1951.
And in 2017, for the occasion of the nearing seven-yearly Virga Jessefeesten, they added a new chapel to the church to house the statue.
In 2023 the building got its current form: They removed a big part of the tower, due to safety concerns. Plans to restore it are in the works.
Some important dates
- 1566-1567: The statue survives the Great Iconoclasm (or Beeldenstorm)
- 1867: Pope Pius IX agrees to the coronation of the statue (by François-Xavier de Mérode). The people of Hasselt wanted to thank their patron after relieving them of cholera (1866) and a bovine plague (1867). The statue is among the first in Belgium to have received this honour.
- 1944: Bombs fall on the chapel in the night of 3 and 4 November. The statue miraculously survives.
- 1951: The chapel is rebuild and opens to the public again.
- 1998: Pope John Paul II elevates the church to the status of basilica minor.
