The rich and profound history of the Province of Belgium: 700 Years of augustinian presence

The Prior General Emeritus of the Order of Saint Augustine, Father Miguel Ángel Orcasitas, wrote the following lines in 1996 in a special edition published in Belgium while he was serving as head of the Order. The subject concerns what was then—more than 700 years ago—the northernmost Augustinian enclave of the Order in the territory we now know as Europe. We delve into the historical and religious imprint that the Augustinians have left throughout their journey.

The history of the Convent of Saint Stephen in Ghent is a faithful reflection of the vicissitudes experienced by the history of Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as by the Church and the Order to which this convent belongs.

In 13th‑century Europe, the Church witnessed the rise of the so‑called ‘mendicant orders’: religious institutes that sought to live according to the evangelical commitment, but no longer in large rural abbeys—as was the case with the Benedictine tradition of the High Middle Ages—but rather in the heart of the cities, in the new ‘boroughs’ that had emerged as a social phenomenon. There, among the people, these new religious—friars—dedicated themselves to apostolic ministry, taught in the new universities that were springing up everywhere, and attended to the needs of the most vulnerable through works of charity.

The convent of Ghent is the most representative Augustinian house in Belgium and, in many ways, its central nucleus throughout history. It was founded in 1296, barely half a century after the foundation of the Order.

Among its treasures is a copy of the Order’s Constitutions drafted at the General Chapter of Regensburg in 1290.

Saint Stephen’s experienced its beginnings and great expansion during the Middle Ages, endured the upheavals of the 16th‑century Reformation—during which it was set on fire and some of its friars were killed—and was later rebuilt with the help of the Borluut family. It then entered a golden age during the 17th and 18th centuries, distinguishing itself as a center for the education of youth.

The events linked to the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars nearly brought about the disappearance of religious life throughout Europe. In Belgium, all Augustinian convents ceased to exist—except this one. Thanks to the bold decision of seven surviving friars, Augustinian life was rebuilt in Belgium and the Netherlands, fully re‑establishing itself by the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The convent of Ghent once again became the cradle of the Augustinians in these nations, just as it had been in the 13th century. We must not forget that it is the only convent that has remained in the same location within the city for seven centuries.

The religious, cultural, social, and historical significance of this Augustinian presence shows how the process of evangelization engages every human and social dimension. The path of the Gospel is the path of humanity—a story of light and shadow, yet always guided by the proclamation of hope and by the call to life that the Church continues to make in the name of Jesus. Seven centuries of history stand as a perfect testimony to this.