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Dancing Procession Of Echternach



It is an annual Roman Catholic dancing procession that takes place in Echternach, in the east of Luxembourg. Also the last traditional dance procession in Europe.

The hopping procession of Echternach (Iechternacher Sprangpressioun) takes place every Whit Tuesday of Pentecost (a Christian religious festival), April 14th, and has been documented since 1100. The procession has its origins in the cult of Saint Willibrord, a monk and founder of Echternach Abbey who was renowned for his missionary activities, generosity, and ability to cure certain illnesses.

Although the Church opposed the procession because it consisted of pagan elements, successive bans didn't prevent it from spreading throughout the rest of the region and reaching every class of society. This annual procession begins early in the morning in the courtyard of the ancient abbey, on the highest level of ecclesiastical authority in the country, as well as in many other countries. The pilgrims then walk toward the basilica, a distance of about 1.5 kilometers (0.93 mi). Musicians sing or play the Sprangprozessiàn, a centuries-old song similar to an Irish jig or reel, as pilgrims line up in fours or fives and "dance" by holding white handkerchief ends and "jumping" from left to right, slowing the procession as they move forward.

There were other forms of the dancing procession in the past. It was once said that the pilgrims took three steps forward and two steps backward so that they took five steps to advance one; in another variation, pilgrims were repeatedly stopped by a bell given by Maximilian, bending their knees before moving forward a few more steps. Once more, pilgrims would crawl under a stone, facing the Cross of Saint Willibrord. There used to be a "cattle-bell dance" in front of the Cross in the marketplace; however, this was discontinued in 1664. There is a service in the basilica at the end of the procession.

About 8,000 dancers perform litanies and then break into 45 groups according to a ritual passed down from generation to generation. A current procession is a religious event rooted in tradition expressed through music, dance, and prayer, which is a historical expression of worship. As a result of secularization, today the procession, supported by civil and religious authorities, continues to grow in popularity, with an average of 13,000 participants participating every year from Luxembourg and its surrounding areas. As of today, Echternach has developed a strong tourism industry centered around the procession, which attracts thousands of tourists from around the world and draws tourists from around the world each year.


References

(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/hopping-procession-of-echternach-00392) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_procession_of_Echternach#:~:text=The%20dancing%20procession%20of%20Echternach,traditional%20dancing%20procession%20in%20Europe.)


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