Roes(s)elare (Roulers), a town in the Belgian province of West Flanders, in which, according to information given by the Inquisitor Titelman, there were Mennonites in 1561. Concerning the history of the Mennonites in this town not much is known. There was a congregation here in 1545, for in that year its deacons signed a letter written by Adriaen van Kortrijk to the Mennonite congregation at Antwerp. In 1556 Elder Jacob de Rore preached in Roesselare. After 1561 there is no evidence of the presence of Mennonites in Roesselare. It is possible that the congregation was wiped out in that year by Titelman.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 351. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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