Gezicht op de Rooms-katholieke kerk te Maarssen c. 1775

Hermanus Petrus Schouten created this engraving of the Roman Catholic Church in Maarssen. Note how the church building adopts the architectural vernacular of the region. Even though the Reformed Church was the state church of the Dutch Republic, Catholicism was tolerated. But Catholics were not allowed to practice their beliefs in public. Churches had to be hidden. In this print, Schouten depicted the church as a building that looks like a normal house. The facade does not show a clear distinction between secular and sacred spaces. But look closely: this blending of the sacred and the mundane has a history. It reminds us of early Christian catacombs, where symbols of faith were subtly integrated into everyday objects to avoid persecution. Across centuries, this adaptation reflects the enduring human need to express belief, even when veiled by societal pressures. The Roman Catholic Church in Maarssen continues this non-linear progression.