St Rose Chapel - Sittard

When an epidemic broke out in Sittard in 1668, Sint-Rosa spoke the redeeming words that eventually made it disappear again. In gratitude, the municipality decided to build a chapel in honour of this Rosa and from then on promised to hold a procession from St Michael's Church to the chapel every last Sunday of August.

Cabaret artist and life artist Toon Hermans was one of the Sittarden residents who regularly joined the processions. He made a little poem about the old dirt road from his childhood to the St Rosa chapel:"

"En dan gaon ver langs dae zandjwaeg
It was a joy
Up that mountain to the Toomel
Woo dat ouw kapèlke sjteit."

Besides this beautiful story about the patron saint of the city of Sittard, there is also a dark story attached to this chapel.
The legend of the Bokkenrijders also made history here. The Bokkenrijders, a group of thieves and looters, are said to have held several initiation rituals here. So in the middle of nowhere, there were plenty of places to flee to. It is said that during one of the rituals, the Bokkenrijders had to take an oath on a dead, severed hand of a crook.