Arriving at the church in Bierbeek, which is a rural Flemish village south of Leuven, I was half expecting red noses on the gargoyles, jokes on the notice board, and whoopee cushions on the pews. After all, this is the church of St. Hilarius. But despite his name, St. Hilarius is not the patron saint of humour. He was actually a native of Sardinia and Pope of Rome from 461 to 468. And as his papacy was characterised by disputes, hilarity was definitely far from his thoughts. Continue reading →