St-Bavo abbey, St-Peters abbey.
In the 7th century bishop Amandus from France converted the people of Ghent to christianity. The inhabitants received him in a very hostile manner and they even tried to drown him in the river called the ‘Scheldt’.
The legend says that with the help of a miracle Amandus could manage to get the people on his side.
One day, the people’s court, which was led by district count Doot, sentenced a man to death: he would be hanged. Amandus tried everything to stop the execution, but it was all in vain. He got executed indeed.
At night Amandus got the corpse out of the tree.
He prayed and prayed and finally a miracle happend: the man was alive again and no-one could believe their eyes. They rejected their own belief and prayed for the newly found God. On that same spot where the man regained his life, Amandus built a church for Saint Petrus.
Around the church the Gandamonaster rose, which is now the St-Bavo abbey.
A second monastery, Blandinium followed very quickely. It is now the St- Peter’s abbey on the ‘Blandijnberg’.
Kelly, Afaf, Steve.