The Procession of the Holy Blood is held every forty days after Easter in the Belgian city of Bruges. The procession dates back to the thirteenth century. This is when the Relic of the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ is said to have been brought back to Bruges from the Second Crusade. Thirty thousand-four thousand spectators gather in the heart of Bruges every spring to watch this event. Procession of the Holy Blood, also known as the "Most Beautiful Day in Bruges" was created to celebrate the miracle of the relic, which was brought to Bruges following the Second Crusade. The relic was kept in Bruges until after Easter, and on Thursday, 40 days after Easter, the otherwise dried blood becomes wet once more. In celebration of this miracle, the procession was created.
This Procession of the Holy Blood features four parts. The first part is an evocation of the Old Testament from Creation to the prophets, then there is a New Testament from Birth in Bethlehem to Pentecost. The third part recounts how the Holy Blood relic of Pentecost ended up in Bruges. The last part shows members of the Noble Brotherhood accompanying the shrine in which the Holy Blood relic is stored. This precious relic was brought to Bruges by Count Thierry of Alsace in 1150. The relic is believed to have come from the Patriarch of Jerusalem, during the Second Crusade. After it has been venerated there, the relic continues to be venerated there today.
About three thousand people from Bruges take part in the procession. Many people of Bruges decorate their facades with flags in the colors of the city and country. While the processions retain their formal spiritual aspect, many bishops, priests, and nuns from around the world come to participate. In the morning, a pontifical mass is offered in Bruges Cathedral, followed by the procession in the afternoon. When the Holy Blood relic passes by, the crowd becomes very still and silent in reverence. The relic is carried by the clergy on their shoulders supported by the Brotherhood and guarded by members of the Brotherhood.
Over the centuries, the ceremony has played a significant role in expressing the identity of Bruges’s inhabitants, as well as facilitating encounters with people from outside the city. The participants, who come from all ages, families, and communities, make up a representative cross-section of our city. People have participated for up to forty years. Emigrants often return for Bruges’ Finest Day. In many ways, the Procession provides an excellent illustration of how a collective ceremony can unite a city as it recreates its history and traditions through ritual reenactment.
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