# Marcella Pattyn

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**Marcella Pattyn** (18 August 1920 in [Thysville](/source/Mbanza-Ngungu) ([Belgian Congo](/source/Belgian_Congo)) to 14 April 2013 in [Kortrijk](/source/Kortrijk)), was the last traditional [Beguine](/source/Beguines_and_Beghards).

## Life

Born in the [Belgian Congo](/source/Belgian_Congo) in 1920, Marcella Pattyn wanted to join a missionary order from an early age. However, she was rejected by several orders because she was nearly blind.[1] She was accepted into the [Béguinage](/source/Holy_Corner_(Ghent_B%C3%A9guinage)) of [St Elisabeth](/source/Elizabeth_of_Hungary) at [Sint-Amandsberg](/source/Sint-Amandsberg), [Ghent](/source/Ghent) in 1941. She was musically talented and played the organ, banjo and accordion.

She moved to the Béguinage of St Elisabeth at [Kortrijk](/source/Kortrijk) in 1960, where she became one of a community of nine.[1][2][3] She was the last to join this community.

On her 91st birthday, as it was already known that she was the last Beguine, the mayor of Kortrijk and former justice minister of Belgium said:

"You are a piece of world heritage. You can not go yet! " – Stefaan De Clerck

She died on 14 April 2013 aged 92 years and was buried in the cemetery of St. John in Kortrijk on 19 April 2013, in the vault of the beguines.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-economist_obit_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-economist_obit_1-1) ["Obituary: Marcella Pattyn"](https://www.economist.com/news/obituary/21576632-marcella-pattyn-worlds-last-beguine-died-april-14th-aged-92-marcella-pattyn). *[The Economist](/source/The_Economist)*. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Obituary: Marcella Pattyn"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10062339/Marcella-Pattyn.html). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Carton, Wouter (14 April 2014). ["Laatste begijntje ter wereld overleden in Kortrijk"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130418084144/http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/regio/westvlaanderen/130414_Begijntje_overleden). VRT. Archived from [the original](http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/regio/westvlaanderen/130414_Begijntje_overleden) (Dutch) on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Marcella Pattyn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcella_Pattyn) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcella_Pattyn?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.