Memorial Cardinal Mercier

Next to the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels is a monument to Cardinal Mercier, a statue by Egide Rombaux.

Désiré Joseph Mercier was made Archbishop of Mechelen on 7 February 1906 and made Cardinal in 1907. He remained archbishop until his death in 1926.
Before the First World War, he became actively involved in political life: he identified the interests of Catholics in Belgium with the Catholic Party dominated by the French-speaking bourgeoisie, which seemed to him the best guarantee of the freedom of the Church and a defense against a anti-religious Marxism.

But Cardinal Mercier was best known for his courageous attitude towards the Germans during the First World War. Through his pastoral letters, in which the resistance of the population against the German occupation was expressed, he gained great prestige in his own country and with the Allies. For example, in January 1915 his Christmas letter "Love of the Fatherland and Steadfast Patience" was read from many pulpits, in which the faithful were told that they owed neither respect nor subservience to the occupying power.
Mercier was not supported in this by the episcopate and only narrowly escaped an arrest warrant from Moritz von Bissing. It did not stop him from condemning the deportations of workers to Germany in 1916.
His reputation was rock solid among the patriotic Belgians.

After 1918 he became more concerned about national unity, on the basis of which he opposed the demands of the Flemish Movement and strongly opposed, among other things, the Dutchification of education in Flanders, and in particular of university education. He therefore had a very difficult relationship with the leaders of the Flemish Movement. In addition, he also remained concerned about the problems of the entire Church.

Cardinal Mercier received several Belgian decorations: the Grand Cross in the Order of Leopold, the Civil Cross 1st Class 1914-1918 and the Government Medal of King Leopold I.


Source : Wikipedia and "14-18 – Pictures tell" – Heritage Brussels

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• Text: Marie-Christine Vinck
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck