According to the
vita of
Harlindis and
Relindis (written around 860), these two sisters in 720 founded a
monastery along the river
Meuse, on territory belonging to their father Adelard. With the support of
Willibrord of Utrecht, the abbey was officially established, adhering to the rule of
Saint Benedict, and the two sisters became
abbesses. The abbey was probably destroyed by
Viking raids in the 9th century. A century later it was given to Richer,
Bishop of Liège, who in 952 made it a religious
chapter with 12
canons. Under the leadership of their abbot they continued to live, work and pray in Aldeneik for more than six centuries. In 1571, during the wars following the
Protestant Reformation, the canons - with their treasure - took refuge in the nearby town of Maaseik. Here, the predecessor of the church of Saint Catherine became the chapter's private church. The canons sold their property in Aldeneik in order to buy houses in Maaseik where they continued to live peacefully for another 240 years. After the arrival of the French revolutionary troops in 1793, the chapter was dissolved in 1797. The church fell into disrepair and was demolished. In 1840-45 the current Neoclassical church was built, but the chapter was never restored. At the original abbey location in Aldeneik only the heavily-restored former abbey church remains, which still serves as a parish church and is now dedicated to Saint Anne (
Church of Saint Anne, Aldeneik). Nothing of the cloisters, nor the later
chapter house or canon's houses have been preserved. ==Treasure==