Saint Engelbert Church Deurne (Diest)

After the baptism of Clovis in 506, faith slowly began to penetrate this region. Around 830 the spiritual authority was exercised by the abbey of Sint-Truiden and Deurne, together with Schaffen, belonged to the Sint-Trudo parish of Webbekom.
For a long time, however, the municipality was the subject of dispute between the Duke of Brabant, the Count of Loon and the Abbot of Sint-Truiden. Around 1300 the Duke of Brabant finally became the owner of the village. In 1783 the people of Deurne took the initiative to become an independent parish.
They applied to the Abbot of Averbode to build a church of their own, but he refused. Nevertheless, the divorce came in 1803, when Monsignor De Roqueloure, Archbishop of Mechelen, recognized Deurne as an independent parish. But without a pastor. Thirty years later, in 1833, permission was finally given to build a church. On May 4, 1834, the time had come: the first stone was laid and on December 23, 1834, Reverend Sir Fransiscus Melaerts was appointed as the first pastor. On January 26, 1835, the church was inaugurated, with Saint Engelbertus as its patron saint. The first presbytery was built in 1841. Until then, the pastor rented a house.
(info source: kerkfotografie.be)

The St. Engelbertus Church consists of a single nave with a transept and a narrower choir flanked by two extensions: the sacristy to the south and the boiler room to the north. There is a small tower with a polygonal spire in the west facade, where the main portal with sandstone frame is also located. There are also two extensions on either side of the tower: to the left of the portal (viewed from outside) a baptistery/storage room and to the right of the portal a storage room with stairs to the rood screen and the bell tower.History and analysis of the church in the context of the possible repurposing of churches in Diest in PDF at diest.be/sites/default/files/2022-06/Sint-Engelbertuskerk%2C%20Deurne.pdf

The organ in the church is protected as a monument and the church is designated as an established architectural heritage because of its architectural and historical value.