Basilique Sainte-Maxellende de Caudry

The basilica of Caudry is dedicated to Saint Maxellende, a young Caudresian woman murdered by her suitor Harduin d'Amerval in the 7th century. The building, in Gothic style, was built according to the plans of the Lille architect Louis Cordonnier between 1887 and 1890. A place of pilgrimage for the blind and visually impaired, the church was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by a papal brief on September 3, 1991. The basilica is 72 meters long and 36 meters wide and its bell tower reaches 75 meters. It has a carillon of 3 bells: "Vox Dei", 2 tons, gives the C; "Pax", 1700 kg, gives the D and "Maxellende", 1500 kg, gives the F. Inside, the great nave reaches 20 meters under the keystone and the two aisles 8 meters. The transept ends with two chapels, the left one dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary and the right one to Saint Maxellende with the shrine of the Saint. It is illuminated by two rose windows, each with 4600 pieces of glass installed around 1921. The choir is decorated with a high altar in white marble, gilded copper and mosaics which was awarded a prize in the 19th century at the exhibition of high altars in Antwerp. Many other elements also constitute the richness of this sanctuary: - the stained glass windows made by Charles Lorin, master glassmaker in Chartres between 1905 and 1946, retracing the life of Saint Maxellende; - the great organ, the work of Charles Mutin Cavaillé Coll (1913); - the shrine of Saint Maxellende, from the XIVth century, classified as a Historical Monument.