Lîdje come l’ èfant, nosse Dame, di vosse coûr rissint l’ blam
Liège like a child, Madame, feels the flame of your heart
Everyone in Liège knows this statue by Jean Del Cour, which dates from the last years of the 17th century. Although it is not the only statue that can lay claim to the title ‘most beautiful virgin of Liège’ (the statue of St John is a serious competitor), it is a very fine example of the Baroque style. The draping of the robes testifies both to the exuberance of this artistic movement and the craftsmanship of Jean Del Cour. Commissioned by the mayors of Liège, this fountain was built at a time when the secular and the religious were often intermingled. The depiction of the Perron on the plinth is said to be an allegory of the city.
As in many other parts of Europe, the veneration of the Virgin Mary was extremely popular in Liège. Many ‘potales’ (the Walloon word for small wooden chapels, often containing a representation of the Virgin) still bear witness to this. These potales are often found in Liège’s ancient streets, especially on the arched passageways that mark the entrance to various alleys. Many of these chapels can be found in the streets of Outremeuse, a district famous for its folk festivals, which take place on 15 August, the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. As well as numerous folklore events, 15 August is marked by the procession of the Black Madonna. This ends with a Mass in Walloon.
Logically, the given name Marie (Mary) was very widespread. It is also found in many Walloon expressions such as ‘Marêye tchafète’ (the chatty Marie), ‘Marèye barbote’ (the ever-active Marie), ‘Marèye frote-frote’ (the brushing-obsessed Marie), ‘Marèye tchipote’ (Marie the nitpicker), ‘Marèye ås zwites’ (Marie souillon > the slob), etc.