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Dancing procession of Echternach


The dancing procession of Echternach is an annual Roman Catholic dancing procession held at Echternach, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach's is the last traditional dancing procession in Europe.

The procession is held every Whit Tuesday around the streets of the city of Echternach. It honours Willibrord, the patron saint of Luxembourg, who established the Abbey of Echternach. Echternach has developed a strong tourism industry centred on the procession, which draws many thousands of tourists and pilgrims from around the world. The procession is inscribed in 2010 as hopping procession of Echternach on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The event begins in the morning at the bridge over the River Sauer, with a sermon delivered by the parish priest (formerly by the abbot of the monastery). "Willibrordus-Brauverein" officials put together the procession, forming several dozen alternating groups of musicians and pilgrims. The procession then moves through the town streets towards the basilica, a distance of about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi). While the musicians play the "Sprangprozessioùn" tune–a traditional melody, not entirely unlike an Irish jig or reel, that has been handed down through the centuries–the pilgrims, in rows of four or five abreast and holding the ends of white handkerchiefs, "dance" or "jump" from left to right and thus slowly move forward. Because of the numbers of pilgrims attending, it is well after midday before the last of the dancers has reached the church. A large number of priests, nuns, and monks also accompany the procession, and not infrequently there are several bishops as well. On arrival at the church, the dance is continued past the tomb of Saint Willibrord, which stands in the crypt beneath the high altar. Litanies and prayers in the Saint's honour are recited, and the event concludes with a benediction of the sacrament.


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