Haarlem, Diocese of

HAARLEM, DIOCESI di. — City and diocese in the Netherlands, suffragan of Utrecht. The first mention of the city of H. dates from the second half of the 10th century; it was the residence of the counts of Holland at the end of the 11th century. The diocese was founded in 1559 by Pope Paul IV with the bull Super universas and included only the province of Noord-Holland and a small part of the province of Zuid-Holland. About 20 years later the Protestant “Reformation” took place. The territory was then administered by archpriests under the jurisdiction of the apostolic vicar of the Batavian mission. The hierarchy was restored in 1853; the first bishop was J. F. van Vree (1853–61).

The reconstituted diocese is more extensive than the former one because, in addition to the two provinces of Nord and Zuid Holland (without the deanery of Hilversum), it also includes the island of the province of Zeeland, with a total area of 6,600 sq. km. and 4,100,000 inhabitants, of whom 1,286,412 are Catholics. These are distributed among 313 parishes, with 832 diocesan priests and 276 religious; two seminaries, the major seminary at Warmond, founded in 1799, and the minor seminary at Hegeweld, established in 1817; there are also 37 male and 289 female religious communities (1949). Since 1835, 3 synods have been held in the diocese, the last in 1949.

The ancient Cathedral, dating from the 14th century and with a tall 15th-century bell tower, was dedicated to s. Bavone; it is now occupied by Protestants. Characteristic of the interior is the lofty central nave with its pointed vault in oak, bearing remains of frescoes; the choir stalls and the pulpit are likewise in oak.

The new Catholic Cathedral, also dedicated to the patron s. Bavone, was begun in 1883 and completed in 1930. Also noteworthy are: the 14th-century chapel of the convent and hospital of the Knights of S. Giovanni; the small 13th-century church of the former beguinage. The municipal museum, Frans-Hals Museum, is noteworthy; since 1913 it has been housed in the former old people’s home (1608). It contains the principal works of Frans Hals and of other Dutch painters. The Episcopal Museum was reorganized in 1932.

At Egmond, near the tomb of s. Adalberto, a church was erected by Count Teodorico II, together with a Benedictine abbey in 950; in 1139 the abbey was so flourishing under Abbot Walter that Pope Innocent II enriched it with privileges; a church was then built and consecrated in 1143 by Bishop Artberto, and the monastic buildings were enlarged. After the abbey was reformed in the 15th century, it passed to the Congregation of Bursfeld; it was subsequently united in 1561 with the episcopal mensa of H.; but in 1573 the monks were expelled and the abbey ruined. At the beginning of the 20th century, Benedictine monks of the French Congregation settled in Oosterhout in the diocese of Breda, founding a monastery there. It became so flourishing that some of them later returned to Egmond and founded a new monastery there, which the Holy See recognized as a priory in 1947.

By an apostolic letter of 14 February 1950, Pope Pius XII erected the priory of Egmond as an abbey sui iuris, united with the French Benedictine Congregation (AAS, 42 [1950], pp. 550–51).