Vlodorp 1615

Description coat of arms on front facade:
Quartered I and IV with transverse bars; II and III a French lily. In the centre of the shield a shield with three bells, placed 2 and 1; the shield is covered by three helmets, two of which are crowned; the left helmet sign is a kind of puppet(?), the middle one a crowned lion(?) and the right one somewhat resembles a sugar loaf.

When the Capuchins came to Maastricht in 1609, the city council made available a large plot of land between Bogaardenstraat and Capucijnenstraat to build a church and monastery.
That seems generous, but there was also something in return. Originally, the Capuchins were care givers of the sick, and they were very much welcomed by the municipality. They gave merit in fighting the plague epidemics in 1633 and 1664. In 1633 all 25 friars died of the plague while performing their duties. In memory of that tragedy a modest painting hangs in the complex of St. Servaas Basilica. After this plague tragedy the monastery was "filled" with new order members from Belgium, who again devoted themselves to helping plague victims. After many disasters such as fire and other misadventures, the Maastricht Capuchin monastery was closed in 1796 by revolutionary French troops who conquered the city. They moved a barracks and a military army warehouse into the buildings. Later the monastery church was given other functions such as cinema and laundry. Currently it is being turned into an apartment complex.

There are two readings about whom - besides the city council also one of the other benefactors - the coat of arms belonged to, which made the construction of the monastery possible. The coat of arms in the facade of the church is attributed to two persons in different places in the literature, namely Baron Van Vlodorp, lord of Leuth and Weel, and to Baron de Lens, member of the noble family de Lens of the county of the same name near Ghent in Belgium. Further heraldic research should reveal to whom the coat of arms belongs.

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This stone in St. Matthew's Cemetery originally came from the former Capuchin monastery, the construction of which was begun with city support in 1611, as can be seen from the caption:
D.O.M.ET.ORDINI.S./ S.P.Q.MOSAETRAIECT.FVNDVM / MONASTERII DOMIBVS.PVB.PECVN / COEMPTIS ET DIRVTIS DD 1611

To Almighty God and the Holy Order, the Magistrate and people of Maastricht gave this monastery land, after using city resources to buy up and demolish the existing houses in 1611.

Description: a five-pointed star in a ring shield, crowned by a lattice helmet in a flight; above it the city star in a wreath.

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