The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-11-06
The Jumping Procession,

An article in AppLetOH's Journal de-
seribes a curious religious display or
procession which yearly brings thou
sands Of people to the quaint town of
Echternach, in the duchy Of Luxem-
burg: Intended primarily for pray
erful gathering to return thanks for re-
lief from terrible scourge, this strange
ceremony, participated in by thousands,
has become saltatorial display in which
the young and old of both sexes try to
outdo each other in an exhibition of
physical power. Its principal interest
to the student lies in the fact that those
participating in it believe in q new
mode of salvation, and expect to jump
out Of all thsir transgreasions by a few
hours demonstration of physical agility.
This quaint ceremony is known as Die
SpringprOoession, or "iumping-pro-
cession," which is a very appropriate
name for'it, as jumping is its principal
feature. For weeks before it is held the
natives of the duchy and those OF the
adjoining Prussian districts are busily
engaged in making preparation for it's
proper observance, seeing that it is an
nounced to the neighboring people, and
that the few tourists lettering about 80
early in the season are made acquainted
with the novel spectacle for the latter,
as a rule, pay rather literally for any
jumping done for them, and leave the
inns an unusual number of forms.
The writer in appleton says:
We crossed the bridge leading to
the duchy of Luxemburg, and had
scarcely touched its soil ere we were
made aware of the Importance of the
day the people celebrated. Large num-
bers of persons, principally peasants
in high state of excitement, trudged
along the highway to Echternach, and
though they looked to be the most clayey
ofmortals under ordinary circumstances,
under the present they seemed to have
lost all control of themselves and to be
guided only by the widest impulses.
Many were humbly kneeling by the
roadside and fervently praying ; some
were singing hymns with an unmistakable
fervor that proved they came from the
heart; while others repeated the rosary
on their beads, silently or aloud, singly
or in groups. All were evidently i'm
pressed with the sacred character of the
day, and determined to attract all the
spiritual consolation possible from it.
Some there were, however. who had an
esye. to. to business as well as prayer; in
as it was the only day in the year in
which they could hope to receive finan.
cial equivalent for their pious petitions.
One old lady volunteered to do little
jumping, enough to clear away the sins
we had committed during the previous
month, for twenty cents girl, appa-
rently twelve years of age, expressed a
desire to wipe out the transgressions of
Il fortnight for ten cents and burly
peasant, who looked as if he could Jump
until the day of judgment, promised to
bound the whole length of the process.
sion for one dollar, and by that means
get us absolution for all the sins both
venal and mortal which we had COM
mitted during the twelve months past.
You have an herculean feat to per-
form for very small amount of money!" "
said the cynic Of our party, in rather
humorous tone yet, if you can furnish
me any proof of the efficacy of your Ia
bor, have no objection to paying you
double the amount you demand"
cit is very cheap, herr" said the
jumper "some charge more than that,
but / am reasonable. I have jumped
for tourists before, and they were well
satisfied with the way in which I did it. -