Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-05
THE DANCING PROCESSION.
The Quaint Annual Religious Fete al
Echsternach.

Brussels Correspondence of the New York Tribune
While the Passion Play is going on at
Oberammergau there has been going on in the
grand duchy Of Luxember,: the annual dane
ing procession of Saint Willibrord. 1t occurred
at the small town OF Echs.ernach on the 9th
of May, the Tuesday after Whitsuntide Saint
Willibrord who lived in the seventh century.
was to the Netherlands, Flemish and lower
countries what st. Patrick was to Ireland. He
carried the Christian faith to those regions.
civilized them as much as it was possible in
those barbarian times and finally sought res
for his last days at Echsternach. where he
founded an abbey. The legend Says that when
the saint died the marble tomb prepared for
receiving his body was found to be too short
but that 1t was niraculousy heightened 80 that
the sanity corpse could be laid In it. Tradi-
t. n Claims that when Saint WilIibrord returned
at last from his holy pilgrimage to Echsternach
the villagers could not restrain their joy and
demonstrated it by the sacred dances, which
are renewed every year. two days after Whit
suntide. Only during the French revolution
was the custom interrupted. 1t is now more
than ever kept up and 90, 900 people took part
In the latest ceremony. The peasants believe
IN the legend, according to which the saint
Furnishes the Indifferent and increduous by
affecting their cattle with an epidemic, the eff
fects of which are like epilepsy.
The pilgrims arrive from all places within
radius of forty miles. Most of them come on
foot, camping wherever they can in open air
or In barns. All among them who possess and
can ! Jay upon musical instruments bring them
along, such hfes drums, comets, &C. and
play upon them as an accompaniment to the
dance. In the morning all this crowd forms
itself ON the German territory, beyond the
bridge which crosses the Sure, the river from
tier between the grand duchy and GERMANY
priest, who must have been born at Echster-
mach, addesses the crowd, places himself at its
head, and the pilgrims begin to tramp oil the
bridge, in the direction of the old church
The advance guard, preceded by q sexton
dressed in red clerical robes. sings the praises
or ltanies of st. Willibrord in a calm digni-
fed religious tone, which strangely contrasts
with the clamors of the thousand Instruments
which accompany the extraordinary dances of
the people forming the bulk of the procession
and the highest jumps considered the
greatest evidence Of devotion. The pilgrims
advance slowly i'll rows, blocking up entirely
the streets. women holding children in their
arms, old people being supported on both sides
by friendly assistants peasants with satchels
Oh their backs. containing provisions to last
during the pilgrimage. All these people never
cease for moment to dance or rather to lump
as high as they can, until they reach the old
church. where the priests bless the many art-
cles they want to place under ST. Wilhbrord's
invocation. The pilgrims spend the remainder
OF the day in the streets of Echsternach where
a regular fete, somewhat like q Flemish kerr
messe, Is held. They then take up again their
tramp to their homes.