Wishes and hopes for a good husband

Offering of white roses and a red garter attached to the gate at the chapel of Our Lady of the Sweet Fragrance.
When Maria of Burgundy married Maximilian I of Austria in 1477 they donated money to build the first chapel on this location in the Sonian Forest to the priory of Groenendaal.
According to the legend the two men who constructed the chapel heard heavenly music, a concert of angels while building and
they also noticed an incomparable and unforgettable fragrance of sweetness. That's why the chapel was called Our Lady of the Sweet Fragrance
(Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe van Welriekende - Notre Dame de Bonne Odeur).

Initially people prayed at this chapel for support during fevers, but it evolved into a belief that praying and leaving offerings at this chapel could help single women of the region to find a husband. They would leave silk ribbons, garters and flowers and as you can see even today you can still find these attached to the gate of the chapel, although nowadays there are more ribbons than garters.

The original smaller chapel was destroyed in 1846 because a road was being constructed near it (it's very close to the outer highway ring road of Brussels) but a renovated and reconstructed bigger chapel was built a little further down the woods in the same year.

Every 15th of August there is a pilgrimage to and mass at this chapel. I've put a picture of the whole chapel in my Blipfolio