The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-11
QUAINT OLD-TIME FESTIVAL.
1t Takes Place Once in SAven Years in u
Little Town in Belgian Limbourg.

Every seven years IN one OF the towns OF
Belgian Limbourg n festival takes place
which is one of the most curious s~urvivals of
early church history that exists in Europe to-
day. Thu festival is said to date back fur
Their than any similar peasant ceremonies on
the Continent. The septennial c|ommemora-
ton has just been completed and the little
town OF Hesselt has subsidized into seven moro
years of inconspicuous Quietude. 1t is only
these celebrations which attract the attention
OF the world to the town. During the festival
held two weeks ago 10000. visitors are said
to have crowded into the village. Luckily the
ceremonies. last only a short time. and the
restraint on the towns. hospitality Is soon
relaxed.
The ceremonies are in honor OF a statue OF
the Blessed Virgin which was fixed to the
trunk of a tree centuries ago. The tradition
is that in the Campini desert. travellers from
Antwerp to Germany were accustomed to
break their journey at q grove of hazel trees.
which was called in Flemish "HazelboS.h."
The statue was said to have the power OF GO
ing to the assistance Of wayfarers In the des-
ert who We're IN need Of aid. The circum-
stances under which the statue was first placed
there are not known, but as early as the eighth
century a watch tower had been placed there
and a number Of huts had been built. Pill
grimages had already become common and
the renown OF the statue spread throughout
the L9wlands. The village WAS established
VII phkA AAAA' AAAaAAAiP FAASAA IN AaNbN "a =
hood TO take care of the statue was formed by
the Prince Bishop of Liege, A chapel was
erected to enshrine the statue, and from that
time date the PROFESSIONS in its honor which
are continued TO this day. Tho wars of the
sixteenth century compelled their temporary
suppression, but they revived afterWard with
great splendor. At. the beginning Of the last
century it was decided to discontinue the an
nual procession, aud in order 10 give it greater
solemnity. make the festivals occur every
seven years, 1t was then decided that the
statue should he exposed to the people, borne
on the shoulders of eight priests and escorted
by the clergy OF the diocese. Until the French
revolution the festival attracted crowds. But
in 1891 the Church was changed into n Tenn
pie of Reason. and. not until lSul was there
any thought Of reyiving the festivals.
In 1897 they were resumed with unusual
dignity, The Pope presented 10 the statue
two golden crowns, and they were put into
place by an Archbishop who bore them from
Rome. Ever since, That time the festival has
been held without interruption.
II is not the procession itself which interests
the visitor most, That Is composed chiefly Of
children dressed and grouped TO depict certain
scenes from the Bible, The statue. now
blackened with age, Is draped with a heavily
jewelled rope and carried through the village
streets. The procession has many qualities In
common with similar religious observanees.
y Is the decoration of the town which makes
festival u held, the ehildTsn VI the village