Vredeskerk, Papendorp

As already brought up in other narratives, Catholics did not always find a place in Amsterdam easily in the past. After the Alteration, the majority of the population was Protestant and many Catholics were suppressed. The area between the Rivierenbuurt and de Pijp, once known as 'Papendorp', acted as a haven for the Catholic community. The term "Papendorp" is derived from the swear word "Paap," which was used to refer to Catholics. Established in 1918, the community got its name as a result of the end of the First World War. A notable feature, not so visible today, was the large number of children present in and around the church. Sometimes as many as 30 children would come from one porch in nearby houses. On Sundays, you could sometimes find as many as 5,000 churchgoers in this beautiful church.