Chapel of the Holy Oak - Oirschot

The most famous story behind Kapel de Heilige Eik? In the early 15th century, a couple of shepherds are said to have found a small statue of Mary on the banks of the Beerze river. They placed the statue in an oak tree. Inhabitants of Middelbeers took this statue and placed it in their own church. The next morning, the statue returned to the oak tree where the shepherds had placed it. From then on, the inhabitants of Oirschot all came to the oak tree to honour the statue. The story goes that people were miraculously cured of illness.

An annual pilgrimage started at the place where people came to honour the statue. Some time later, a wooden chapel was built. Unfortunately, this was destroyed during the Eighty Years' War. The statue was safe and a brick chapel was later built, followed by a slightly larger building. The current chapel was built in 1854. What can you expect in the chapel? Among other things, a beautiful baroque altar. Absolutely worth a visit!