The church is best known for housing the 14th-century statue of the Virga Jesse, which is paraded through the streets of Hasselt every seven years during the Seven-Yearly Festivities.

On August 15, 1867, Pope Pius IX authorized the coronation of the Virga Jesse statue by François-Xavier de Mérode.

The church was heavily damaged by a V-1 rocket bombing in November 1944, which killed 16 people and destroyed much of the surrounding area.

During a routine inspection in 2017, Monumentenwacht discovered severe structural problems, including wood rot in the upper part of the bell tower.

Notable items include the silver ‘kleedje van de Morin,’ recognized as a Flemish heritage piece.