Church of Saint John the Baptist (Pijnacker)

H. Joannes de Dooperkerk
exterior of the church, September 1968
Basic information
Location	Oostlaan 38, Pijnacker,  Netherlands
Geographic coordinates	52°1′14.29″N 4°26′3.55″E / 52.0206361°N 4.4343194°E
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Municipality	Pijnacker-Nootdorp
Province	South Holland
Region	s-Gravenhage
Year consecrated	1892
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	parish church
Status	active use
Heritage designation	Rijksmonument 525173
Leadership	Roman Catholic Diocese of Rotterdam
Website	http://www.rk-pijnacker.nl/
Architect(s)	Adrianus Bleijs
Architectural style	neo-Roman
Groundbreaking	1891
Completed	1892
Specifications
Direction of façade	west
Spire(s)	one
Spire height	181 feet
Materials	brick

The church of Saint John the Baptist (or as written by the parish H. Joannes de Dooper or as a variant in Dutch Sint Johannes de Doper) is a Roman Catholic church in Pijnacker. The church is cruciform and built in the neo-Roman style. It was built in 1892 and at that time was within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Haarlem which was later renamed the Roman Catholic Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam. When diocesan boundaries were redrawn it became part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rotterdam. It is the work of architect, Adrianus Bleijs. The name of the church has several variations. The parish website officially shows it as "H. Joannes de Dooper," (with no "h" and with two "o"s) but others list it as Heilige (or Sint) Johannes de Doper (with an "h" and with only one "o.") Above the entrance door of the church is found a bas-relief showing the baptism of Jesus by John.

The organ was built in 1899 by P.J. Adema and Sons.^[1][2]

The church is a registered national monument along with the attached presbytery.^[3]

view of the church from the south along the Oostlaan.

Gallery

• 
  Interior view looking east toward the altar as it appeared in 1960
• 
  Interior view looking west toward the organ and loft in 1960
• 
  Interior view looking east toward the altar in 1990
• 
  Interior view of the finely painted wooden ceiling in 1990
• 
  Interior close-up view of the sanctuary facing east
• 
  The ornate raised pulpit
• 
  Interior view facing west towards the organ and loft
• 
  Close-up of the pulpit bronze panels Left, Jesus speaks to the children and teaches us to be like them. (Luke 18:15-17); Right, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about being born again of water and the Spirit. (John 3:1-21).
• 
  Close-up of two of the four bronze pulpit panels: Left, Jesus speaks to the sisters of Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42); Right, Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well. (John 4:1-43)
• 
  Side altar, Statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ
• 
  Side altar, Statue of Saint Joseph
• 
  Close-up of the tabernacle and altarpiece
• 
  View of the altarpiece and stained glass windows above
• 
  Stained glass windows to the left of the sanctuary
• 
  Stained glass windows to the right of the sanctuary
• 
  The octagonal baptismal font located in the baptistery near the church entrance
• 
  Bas-relief panel inside on the back wall. The Jews are fed with manna from heaven in the desert. (Exodus 16:1-28)
• 
  Bas-relief panel inside on the back wall. The wedding Feast of Cana when Jesus turns water into wine. (John 2:1-11).
• 
  Saint John the Baptist stained glass window
• 
  A view of some or the large painted Stations of the Cross along the sides of the church. These were painted by A.J.M. van Welie in 1897.
• 
  The clock tower above the main entrance doors.
• 
  The sculpture above the front door depicts Jesus being baptized by John as angels bow in adoration.

See also

• Catholic Church in the Netherlands

1. Book: "H. Joannes de Dooper - een eeuw rond het kerkgebouw 1892 -1992" (translation: Saint John the Baptist: a century around the church building 1892-1992). The book was published by the parish for its anniversary and gives a history of the building and the people of the parish with pictures of the pastors, as well as photos and stories of many of the parishioners who went on to be ordained to the priesthood or to religious life to serve the Catholic Church in many parts of the world.^[4]

References

1. Rijksmonument description of the interior of the church
2. Ed van Aken & Dolf Schuurman: 100 jaar Adema-orgel. R.K. Kerk H. Joannes de Dooper, Pijnacker 1899-1999. Pijnacker, 1999. No ISBN
3. Monumentenregister Cultureel Erfgoed
4. J.P. van Geest [et al.]: H. Joannes de Dooper, Pijnacker. Een eeuw rond het kerkgebouw 1892 -1992. Pijnacker, Parochie St. Joannes de Dooper, 1992. ISBN 9090046542

External links

• www.rk-Pijnacker.nl