Sint-Plechelmusbasiliek

Basilica of St Plechelm
Basilica of St Plechelm
Basic information
Location	Oldenzaal, Netherlands
Geographic coordinates	52°18′45″N 6°55′42″E / 52.31250°N 6.92833°E / 52.31250; 6.92833
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Overijssel
Country	Netherlands
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	minor basilica
Heritage designation	Rijksmonument
Website	http://www.plechelmusbasiliek.nl/
Groundbreaking	12th century

The basilica of St Plechelm (Dutch: Sint-Plechelmusbasiliek) is a Roman Catholic church in the Dutch town of Oldenzaal dedicated to the 8th-century Irish monk Saint Plechelm, whose festival on 15 July has been on the calendar of the medieval diocese of Utrecht ever since his canonisation in the 10th century. This festival is still celebrated annually at the basilica, and the saint's 1050th anniversary was celebrated there in 2004. The pope granted it the title of minor basilica in 1950.

The oldest parts of the existing building date from the middle and the second half of the 12th century, but the history of the church goes back to the 8th century, when the traveling missionary Plechelmus founded the first church on the site, the Silvesterkerk, initially dedicated to pope Silvester and sometime before 954 rededicated to Plechelmus himself (canonised after the elevation of his relics). In 954, bishop Balderik of Utrecht founded a chapter in Oldenzaal and expanded and restored the 8th-century church, allowing the relics of Plechelmus used on his canonisation to be transferred to it. Since then had the Plechelmuskerk of Oldenzaal has had high status - for example, during the Middle Ages its chapter was one of only four outside Utrecht that could participate in electing the bishop of Utrecht.

Coordinates: 52°18′45″N 6°55′42″E / 52.31250°N 6.92833°E / 52.31250; 6.92833