The Holy Stead

The Ter Heylighen Stede (holy stead) chapel was consecrated by the vicar-general of Bishop Jan van Arkel, Bishop of Utrecht, on 21 October 1347; in his letter to the Bishop, the vicar-general mentions the devotional procession around the chapel.

A Heiligeweg (holy way) was constructed to help the many pilgrims coming to the chapel from Amstelveen and Sloten.

The Holy Stead had three aisles and 18 columns, six of which formed a half-decagon (enlarged in 1555) at the side of the Rokin. On the Kalverstraat side was the ‘holy corner’ (the spot where the miracle had happened) with the fireplace.

There were prominent pilgrims too, such as Archduke Maximilian of Austria (later to become Holy Roman Emperor) in about 1484.

He granted to the chapel a chalice, vestments for Holy Mass, a large wax candle and a lead-glass window in which he featured. A few years later he granted Amsterdam the use of his imperial crown to place on top of its city arms.

At the Alteration of 1578, this chapel, too, was confiscated. It was used as a stables and a storehouse until it was taken over for Protestant worship and renamed Nieuwezijds Chapel.

The Catholics managed to save a few objects belonging to the Holy Stead from the iconoclasm, among them, four cushions, two procession banners, and a missal.

The Beguines were entrusted with the care of these objects, and so the Beguinage took over the function of the Holy Stead.

When the Prince of Orange visited Amsterdam in 1580 and passed the Holy Stead, one of the burgomasters drew his attention to the text engraved there in stone: “Signs and wonderful things were wrought on me by Almighty God,” saying, “Look at what’s become of this illustrious place”!

The Prince answered: “If people treat what is consecrated like this, what will they do to the rest”? The burgomaster answered that in due course no stone of the church would remain standing. But the Prince shook his head and said, “He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone”.

The photographs shows the altar and a part of the sanctuary.