Hasselt Library Digitizes 1,363 Indulgence Letter and 1540 Graduale: 21,000 Images Now Online

Hasselt (Eurotoday): The Hasselt library is digitizing two important works: a 1363 indulgence letter from Herkenrode abbey, and a 1540 Graduale from Sint-Truiden abbey. Photographer Cedric Verhelst captures high-quality images, and there are 21,000 images of Flemish art availableblank” rel=”noopener”> online for everyone to see.

The Library of Hasselt is digitizing two important masterpieces recognized by the Flemish government. One of these is an indulgence letter from the abbey of Herkenrode, dated 1363, which is significant in Limburg’s history. Written in Avignon at the court of Pope Urban V, the letter features artwork made in Herkenrode that shows an annual religious procession. It allowed visitors who made donations or visited the abbey on special days. 

What makes the 1540 Graduale from Sint-Truiden Abbey important?

The second masterpiece is the blank” rel=”noopener”>Graduale from the Sint-Truiden abbey, made in 1540. This large choir book has all the songs for church services and is beautifully illustrated. It was last digitized in 2012, and now new technology will make the copies clearer. Digitizing helps check the condition of these important books over time.

Photographer Cedric Verhelst specializes in capturing art and heritage pieces for the Art in Flanders project. He uses high-quality lighting and equipment to ensure the best results. Verhelst often works with tall tripods for hard-to-reach artworks and stores them in a climate-controlled area at the Hasselt Limburg library. People can see the original pieces during an art night in Hasselt, and 21,000 high-quality images of Flemish masterpieces are available blank” rel=”noopener”>online for everyone to explore.


Comments

6 responses to “Hasselt Library Digitizes 1,363 Indulgence Letter and 1540 Graduale: 21,000 Images Now Online”

  1. Marshmallow Treat Avatar
    Marshmallow Treat

    Ah, because nothing screams “modern convenience” quite like diving into the 21,000 digitized images of 16th-century indulgence letters and a 1540 Graduale! Who needs Netflix when you can scroll through a treasure trove of medieval guilt trips? It’s just the sort of riveting pastime to make your average Belgian pint feel a tad less indulgent!

  2. killer grenade Avatar
    killer grenade

    Ah, nothing screams “cutting-edge technology” quite like the Hasselt Library digitizing 1,363 indulgence letters—because who wouldn’t want to scroll through centuries-old tickets for heavenly loopholes? And let’s not forget the 1540 Graduale; I mean, surely the world has been waiting with bated breath to see what our medieval ancestors had on their playlist! Honestly, if only IKEA would take a page from this, we could finally see all those assembly instructions from 1940 in stunning detail as well!

  3. RoarSweetie Avatar
    RoarSweetie

    Ah, the Hasselt Library—because nothing says “modern progress” quite like digitizing 21,000 images of indulgences from the 14th century and church choir sheets from the 16th; if only they’d throw in a few selfies for good measure, we might just keep up with the times, eh?

  4. gothic slacker Avatar
    gothic slacker

    Ah, the Hasselt Library’s grand leap into the digital age—because nothing screams “modern enlightenment” quite like 21,000 images of medieval indulgences; I suppose we should all take a moment to celebrate the true marvel of technology: giving us the ability to browse guilt-free while we sip our cappuccinos!

  5. Ah, the Hasselt Library has truly outdone itself by digitizing 21,000 images of indulgence letters and choir books—because nothing screams “cultural progress” quite like giving everyone online access to the medieval equivalent of a “get out of hell free” card!

  6. scare stone Avatar
    scare stone

    Ah, the Hasselt library’s latest triumph in digital archaeology—because nothing says “modern convenience” quite like scrolling through 21,000 images of medieval indulgence letters while you sip your artisanal coffee, fully aware that the only indulgence most of us can afford these days is a second helping of fries, eh?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Star News Anchor Resigns as Partner Enters French Presidential Race

Star News Anchor Resigns as Partner Enters French Presidential Race

Glucksmann discussed the implications of his potential presidential candidacy on his personal life, stating that he and Salamé, his partner of over ten years, had in-depth discussions about its impact. Despite France’s history of journalists involved with politicians, Salamé indicated at a parliamentary hearing in February that she would step aside if Glucksmann pursued the presidency. Previ

Read More

Arsenal Injury Update: Tzolis Shines and Odegaard Regains Form in London

Arsenal Injury Update: Tzolis Shines and Odegaard Regains Form in London

London, 22 August (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Arsenal have received an encouraging Arsenal injury update on Bruno Guimaraes after the midfielder missed their 3-0 Premier League victory over Coventry City, while Christos Tzolis and Martin Odegaard provided Mikel Arteta with plenty of encouragement at the other end of the pitch.
The champions made a confident start to their title defence at the

Read More

How Ukraine Can Endure Another Winter

How Ukraine Can Endure Another Winter

We have returned, and so have Ukraine’s important supporters. On Ukraine’s 35th independence anniversary from the Soviet Union, leaders gather in Kyiv this Monday to discuss new support commitments for the country.
In the podcast, Zoya Sheftalovich and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Nick Vinocur explore the support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aims to obtain from the Coalitio

Read More

Max Verstappen Reflects on Disappointing Dutch Grand Prix Weekend in Zandvoort

Max Verstappen Reflects on Disappointing Dutch Grand Prix Weekend in Zandvoort

Zandvoort, Netherlands, 23 August (Eurotoday) – Max Verstappen said his home Formula One weekend had been disappointing after an opening-lap accident ended his Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. The Red Bull driver was unhurt, but the early retirement brought the Verstappen Dutch GP weekend to a premature close after he had struggled for pace across the event.
Verstappen started seventh and made it

Read More

Britain assured EU citizens about its settled status system, then muddled identical twins.

Britain assured EU citizens about its settled status system, then muddled identical twins.

The eVisa database stores information such as an individual’s full name, date of birth, nationality, and a facial photograph. However, these details often closely resemble those of identical twins, like Webb, whose name is similar to her sister’s.
Many such cases
Monique Hawkins, acting CEO of the3million, which advocates for the rights of EU citizens in the U.K., noted that issues wit

Read More

Lando Norris Claims Dutch Grand Prix Victory from Pole in Zandvoort

Lando Norris Claims Dutch Grand Prix Victory from Pole in Zandvoort

Zandvoort, Netherlands, 23 August (Eurotoday) – Lando Norris won the Dutch Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday, taking his second Formula One victory in succession as McLaren finished ahead of Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell at Zandvoort.
Norris completed the 72-lap race 11.536 seconds ahead of championship leader Antonelli. Russell finished third, with Lewis Hamilton four

Read More

I Visited Chairman Lee Man-hee in Prison in Seoul

I Visited Chairman Lee Man-hee in Prison in Seoul

HRWF Report on Visiting 95-Year-Old Chairman Lee Man-hee of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. He is in pre-trial detention during an extreme heatwave and questions whether Korean law’s supervised alternatives should be used.
Thursday, 6 August 2026 at 2:00 pm. The detention-centre visiting room is a little more than four metres square. In front of us, a wall of double glass perhaps ten centimetre

Read More

UK Assisted Dying Bill Returns: Labour Advocate Seeks Inspiration from Australia

UK Assisted Dying Bill Returns: Labour Advocate Seeks Inspiration from Australia

“It’s crucial that we consider social care and assisted dying together,” Edwards states. She believes there’s no reason to delay changing the law, pointing to the £125 million provided by Starmer’s government for hospices for adults and children. (A Public Accounts Committee report indicated this one-time funding did not directly fund service delivery or resolve the sector’s financial issues

Read More

Lando Norris Defeats Kimi Antonelli to Win 2026 Dutch GP – Zandvoort

Lando Norris Defeats Kimi Antonelli to Win 2026 Dutch GP – Zandvoort

Zandvoort, Netherlands, 23 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Lando Norris won the Dutch GP 2026 for McLaren on Sunday, finishing ahead of Mercedes pair Kimi Antonelli and George Russell after Max Verstappen’s home race ended on the opening lap. Norris started from pole, regained the lead after losing it following the restart and went on to take his second consecutive Formula One victory.
Norris cro

Read More

EU Scholars Petition for Alternative to Pre-Trial Detention for 95-Year-Old Chairman Lee

EU Scholars Petition for Alternative to Pre-Trial Detention for 95-Year-Old Chairman Lee

European scholars urge a humane alternative to the pre-trial detention of 95-year-old Chairman Lee, head of the Shincheonji Church. As of August 19, no response from the Government has been received.
This initiative followed a press conference by Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) on August 7 at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club. HRWF Associate Director Hans Noot read a petition addressed

Read More