A love beyond death

It is often said that there are no doors that love cannot overcome. But sometimes, and even more so if we look back at the past, it is common for powerful walls to rise capable of vetoing the relationship between two people.

Maybe someday you will travel to a small town in the Netherlands called Roermond. There it is possible that your neighbors will explain to you what for them is, without a doubt, the most romantic love story in their country. And to prove it to you, they will surely take you to their cemetery.

And no, it will not be a rugged experience at all, on the contrary. You know what some cemeteries are authentic marvels of architecturebeautiful settings of stillness and beautiful artistic elements that are worth knowing.

The one in the small town of Roermond is truly specialwhere a true story tinged with sadness and charm is contained, a unique place that receives hundreds of tourists every year, and that you will surely love to know…

When religion separated hearts

This story begins, like all good stories, with a meeting and an almost immediate fall in love.

Even though his love was sincere, The families of both did not view this relationship favorably.. He Protestant, she Catholic and noble…

Society set clear rules and those were not to mix religions. A Catholic could not marry a Protestant.this act was an offense not only for the family, but also for the society of that time.

Challenging conventions

The couple turned away from those comments and decided to flee. She decided to bond and start a life together after getting married.

You may think that, after all, if they managed to live together they found happiness… But happiness is sometimes fleeting and it only finds its meaning in brief moments that do not provide lasting tranquility at all. A balance with which to live in peace and integrity.

The Van Aefferdens were disowned by their families and all their neighbors throughout his entire life. Wherever they settled, they were always poorly received, they always encountered harshness and averted glances at their relationship, at a union that no church could accept.

A love beyond death

They knew that at the time of their death they would not be allowed to rest in the same space as husband and wife.

The cemeteries marked clear differences between Catholics and Protestants and each of the religions had its corresponding side in the cemetery. Both would be separated by a wall. But before this happened, our couple of lovers already had an idea planned.

Our Protestant lady passed away a few years after her husband. They buried her right on the opposite side to where her husband was, on the Catholic side.. But when it happened, when he was buried, The last of his wishes was fulfilled: that a sculpture would rise above the wall. A beautiful sculpture of two lovers joining hands.

Life or death no longer mattered, much less religions. These two lovers have remained united ever since through that stone symbol. There reside some souls who never understood those differences that men mark in their desire to raise walls to people’s happiness.

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