Priorij Bethanië

Priorij Bethanië is a community of Benedictine sisters in Loppem, a small village near Bruges, Belgium. The site combines the twentieth-century history of a women's religious order with architecture built up in stages over several decades, and today it functions as an active priory that welcomes visitors seeking retreat and quiet reflection.

Where does the name and the community come from?

The name refers to the biblical village of Bethany, known from the Gospels as the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. The community was initiated by Abbot Dom Théodore Nève of the Abbey of Zevenkerken in Bruges. The idea grew out of an observation made in 1918, when Zevenkerken served as a war hospital: young women who cared for the wounded there showed a dedication that inspired the founding of a dedicated religious community.

How did the community take shape in the 1920s?

The first sisters prepared for religious life between 1921 and 1925, completing formation in Angers, France, before settling at Lisbona Castle. On 19 May 1921 the first sisters took their initial vows, a moment regarded as the founding of the Bethanië community. From its earliest years the community was also involved in missionary work, establishing convents in the Belgian Congo.

When and how was the priory in Loppem built?

The foundation stone of the priory in Loppem was laid on 21 March 1924 — not by coincidence, since this is the feast day of Saint Benedict, patron of the Benedictine order. The complex was built in phases over more than three decades, to a design by architect Jozef Viérin. The guest wing was the first part completed, already in 1924. Further stages followed: the boarding-school wing in 1929, the priory church in 1935–1936, the refectory in 1948, and a wing housing a chapel and library in 1957. This drawn-out construction process means the priory's architecture reflects the community's evolving needs across nearly forty years.

What happened after the Second World War?

After the war, the community based in Loppem had grown large enough to be reorganised into its own congregation: the Congregation of Mary, Queen of the Apostles (Regina Apostolorum). Over time this congregation established houses on four continents, illustrating how a modest initiative from a century ago grew into an international structure.

What is the priory like today?

Today Priorij Bethanië remains a living community of Benedictine sisters, following a life of prayer and work under the Rule of Saint Benedict. The priory is open to guests looking for silence and space for spiritual reflection, offering the possibility of a retreat stay away from everyday noise. Because of its multi-phase construction history and preserved sacred architecture, including a church dating from the 1930s, the complex is also of interest as an example of monastic architecture in the Bruges region.

Where exactly is Priorij Bethanië located?

The site lies in Loppem, a village on the outskirts of Bruges in the province of West Flanders. The surroundings are quiet and rural, in keeping with the role the priory has played for a century: a place of prayer, work, and hospitality for those seeking silence.

Frequently asked questions

Can the priory be visited like a regular tourist attraction? The site functions primarily as an active monastery and retreat house rather than a conventional tourist attraction — visits usually take the form of a spiritual stay rather than a sightseeing tour.

How long did construction of the priory take? Building work proceeded in stages from 1924 to 1957, more than thirty years in total, which is reflected in the complex's successively completed wings.

Which religious order is the community part of? The sisters in Loppem follow the Benedictine tradition, and after the war they formed their own congregation, the Congregation of Mary, Queen of the Apostles.