The Dancing Procession of Echternach
Held on Tuesday after Whitsun in honour of St. Willibrord,
born in Northumberland in 658 A.D.,
died in Echternach in 739 A.D.
The origins of this dancing procession are very vague, and cannot
be traced with certitude.
One folk legend says that a local horse thief by the name of Veidt (spellings
vary greatly) was sentenced to death, and -as is the custom- was granted one last
wish before his public execution on the market square (pictured above). Feidt
wanted to play his fiddle one last time, and so he began to play this tune
[borrowed from www.willibrord.lu]. It was
so lively and full of swing, that everybody who had come to see his execution
wanted to join in the fun, and in no time at all, the place was heaving with Music
and Dance. In the midst of the ensuing chaos, our thief made good his escape,
never to be seen again.
Whatever the truth of the above story, it is generally admitted in the ecclesiastic
society, that the procession already took place in the year of St. Willibrord's
death in 739. It was only during the 14th century, when epidemics of plague were
devastating Europe, that it was transformed into a procession of prayers against
the great calamities of the Middle Ages: St. Vitus's dance, the plague, epilepsy,
and the corrupt practice of flagellation. One doesn't know if the procession was
already, at that time a dancing procession. However, one must take into account,
the existence in 1342, of a similar "dancing" procession, which used to take place
in the small town of Prüm in the Eifel.
Historians assume that the pilgrimages to Echternach, seeking divine protection
against the dreaded St. Vitus's dance, the plague, and other illnesses, were (in
1348 or 1378) at the origin of the dancing procession of Echternach. In fact,
it adopted the most varied forms. At one time, there was even a "motionless procession".
In this case, the pilgrims used to stop at the sound of a bell, and then moved
forward a few steps, before falling down on their knees, and starting the gestures
all over again. At another time, the "crawling procession" was in fashion; the
pilgrims would crawl under a stone, facing the cross of St. Willibrord. There
were still a few abuses in the practice of these religious customs. For example,
a "cattle-bell dance" used to take place in front of the cross which was erected
on the Market place. This dance was prohibited in 1664.
Under the reign of Joseph II, the archbishop Wenceslas of Trier decreed in 1777
that the procession of the "dancing saints" should only be a pilgrim's procession.
Eleven years later, it was abolished again, and then started again a few years
after the archbishop's death. It is at this time that the traditional steps were
adjusted: from then on, the pilgrims had to perform their steps backwards, slightly
obliquely. During the French Revolution in 1789, the dancing procession of Echternach
was once more prohibited. However, since 1802, this ancient custom is again in
favour, and remains so until today.
The pilgrimage is preceded by a sermon in the open air in front of an ancient
cross. The pilgrims assemble in the courtyard of the Abbey, and the starting signal
is given by an enormous bell donated to the town by the emperor Maximilian as
a memento to his pilgrimage in 1512. Up until shortly after the second World War,
the procession was danced three paces forward, and two back, to a simple melody
played over and over by the musicians scattered throughout the procession. Since
then, so many people are taking part in the pilgrimage that the paces had to be
changed once more, and are now moving forward only, albeit with an alternating
left and right motion. The music is played by fanfares, violin-, mandolin groups,
and even sung. Aptly, the tune
is reminiscent of a Northern jig or reel. The long crocodile of people is headed
by the clergy, then the youngsters, and lastly the older people.
The procession goes through the streets of Echternach, and up the wide staircase
of 30 steps, leading up to the Basilica. The pilgrims climb these, still to the
music, enter the church and make a tour around the crypt under the main altar
of the Basilica and which contains the remains of St. Willibrord, thus fulfilling
their vows, sometimes made through inexpressible pain, either moral or physical.
There is a growing interest for this religious event, which attracts pilgrims
from all over Luxembourg, as well as from the neighbouring countries (Germany,
France, Belgium, and even Holland), as it is both an expression of the Catholic
faith, and a celebration to honour the Saint, whose influence has spread far beyond
the limits of the actual Grand Duchy.
Individuals wishing to take part in the procession are advised to check the setup
plan (published in Luxembourg newspapers a couple of days beforehand), as the
Church issues strict guidelines for pilgrims in order to avoid that this religious
occasion turns into something of a folk festival.
More information about St Willibrord is available from the Catholic
Encyclopedia
See also: Echternach Online; Echternach
Music Festival; willibrord.lu;
mullerthal.lu
last
modified: August 7, 2002
