Heilige Nicolaas
Odijk, NL
Traditionally, the parish of Odijk belonged to the archdeaconry of Oudmunster. In Odijk there were grounds, 'a court' which were successively in the hands of the German emperors (end of the 10th century), the archbishop of Cologne (until 1019), the Benedictine abbey of Deutz (until 1256) and finally of the count of Gelre. The oldest church building of Odijk, a chapel, probably stood within this court. This was probably a 'daughter' of the church of Werkhoven. In the 12th century, a Romanesque cruciform church with tower was built in Odijk. This church was probably dedicated to St. Heribert. In the sixteenth century, around 1547, the choir of this church was replaced by a late Gothic choir. In the 19th century, the tower, the transept and the nave were demolished. What remained, the choir, is the current Dutch Reformed Church (the 'white church'). During the Reformation, Odijk initially remained Roman Catholic. From 1564, Evert Aelbertsz. was pastor in Odijk and around 1593 he baptized Protestants and Catholics, depending on the denomination of the parents. After the death of this last Catholic pastor, the people of Odijk went to church in Bunnik (Rhinauwen castle), Blikkenburg castle south of Zeist and also to Rijsenburg castle. In 1718, a new church was built in the hamlet of Schoudermantel near Bunnik. This church became the heart of the Bunnik station, which also included Odijk.