View source for Procession of the Holy Blood

{{Short description|Catholic procession on Ascension Day in Bruges, Belgium}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name               = Procession of the Holy Blood
| native_name        = {{small|''Heilig Bloedprocessie''}}
| native_name_lang   = nl
| image              = SANGUIS BRUGENSIS14 44.JPG
| caption            = Procession of the Holy Blood, 2014
| status             = Active
| genre              = [[Procession]]
| frequency          = Annual
| first              = 
| date               = [[Ascension Day]]
| location           = [[Bruges]], Belgium
| participants       = 
| last               = 
| next               = 
| website            = 
}}
{{Infobox intangible heritage
| Image       = 
| Caption     = 
| ICH         = Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges
| State Party = Belgium
| Domains     = 
| Criteria    = 
| ID          = 00263
| Region      = ENA
| Year        = 2009
| Session     = 4th
| List        = Representative
}}

The '''Procession of the Holy Blood''' ({{langx|nl|Heilig Bloedprocessie}}) is a large religious Catholic [[procession]], dating back to the [[Middle Ages]], which takes place each [[Ascension Day]] in [[Bruges]], [[Belgium]]. In 2009, it was included in the [[UNESCO]] [[Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]].

==History==
The Procession of the Holy Blood seems to have emerged as a civic ceremony by the late thirteenth century. By 1303, if not earlier, the ceremonial procession carried the holy blood relic around the perimeter of the city walls, completed in 1297.<ref>{{cite book | last = Leeuwen | first = Jacoba | title = Symbolic Communication in Late Medieval Towns | publisher = [[Leuven University Press]] | location = Leuven | year = 2006 | isbn = 978-90-5867-522-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SEhNBaRxXWAC&pg=PA14|page=14 }}</ref> The procession commemorates the deliverance of the city, by the national heroes [[Jan Breydel]] and [[Pieter de Coninck]], from French tyranny in May of the previous year. It takes place on [[Ascension Day]], as one of the great religious celebrations in [[Belgium]]. Residents of the area perform an [[historical reenactment]] of the phial's arrival together with similar dramatizations of [[Bible|Biblical]] events. The [[passion play]] ''Jeu du Saint Sang'' takes place every five years.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=DtfkAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Jeu+du+Saint+Sang |title=Complete reference guide to the Low Countries |editor=Pan American Airways |publisher=Simon and Schuster |year=1967 |access-date=17 July 2011|page=9}}</ref> Sixty to one hundred thousand spectators watch the procession, a parade of historical scenes and biblical stories. Choirs, dance groups (e.g., dance theatre [[Aglaja (dance company)|Aglaja]]), animals (ranging from geese to camels), horse-drawn floats and small plays with many actors pass by within a couple of hours.

The centerpiece is the [[Reliquary|Relic]] with the Precious Blood of Jesus. The traditional account holds that [[Joseph of Arimathea]] wiped the blood-stained face of the dead Christ and carefully preserved the cloth, which was later, after the 12th century [[Second Crusade]] supposedly brought to the city by [[Thierry, Count of Flanders]], who had received it from [[Baldwin III of Jerusalem]] in recognition of his bravery.<ref name=fltoday>[http://www.flanderstoday.eu/living/flesh-and-blood "Of flesh and blood", ''Flanders Today'', April 20, 2011]</ref> However, an alternative view says after the [[Sack of Constantinople]] in 1204, during the [[Fourth Crusade]], [[Baldwin I, Latin Emperor|Baldwin, Count of Flanders]] was chosen emperor and sent looted relics to Flanders. His two daughters lived at Bruges. The earliest documentation of the Holy blood relic dates from 1256.<ref name=fltoday/>  

In 2015 the procession was cancelled, a few hours before it was scheduled to start, due to bad weather.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/News/1.2339140 |title=Holy Blood Procession abandoned |publisher=flandersnews.be |author=Colin Clapson |date=2015-05-14 |access-date=2015-05-16}}</ref> In 2020 it was cancelled from health concerns due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Brugse Heilig Bloedprocessie wordt afgelast |date=30 March 2020 |website=[[Kerknet]] |language=nl |url=https://www.kerknet.be/kerknet-redactie/nieuws/brugse-heilig-bloedprocessie-wordt-afgelast}}</ref>

==Pilgrimage==
More than 3,000 Bruges residents participate in the spectacle, which is also called "''Brugges Schoonste Dag''" ([[Dutch language|Dutch]], "The Most Beautiful Day in Bruges"). Bruges residents used to decorate their facades with flags in the colours of the city and country. 
The event retains its formal spiritual aspect. Every year, the bishop and governor invite important diplomatic guests. Among the most famous guests were the archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal [[Karol Wojtyła|Wojtyła]] (later Pope John Paul II), in 1973 and [[Cardinal Wiseman]] in 1849.
Many bishops, priests and nuns from all over the world come to celebrate this famous procession. In the morning, a pontifical Mass is celebrated in the cathedral, and, in the afternoon, the procession takes place. Clergy carry the relic on their shoulders, guarded by the brotherhood. When the relic of the Holy Blood passes by, the crowd becomes still and silent in reverence. In 2009, the event was inscribed in the [[UNESCO]] [[Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]].<ref>[https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/procession-of-the-holy-blood-in-bruges-00263 "Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges", UNESCO, Intangible Cultural Heritage]</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Procession of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ-Bruges; het conopeum.JPG|The conopeum, solemnly carried during the procession
File:Procession of the Holy Blood (Virgin Mary).jpg|Representation of the [[Virgin Mary]] during the procession, May 2010
File:Thierry d'Alsace.JPG|The history of the relic is performed for thousands.
File:Procession_of_the_Precious_Blood_of_Jesus_Christ-Bruges;_Eretribune_2.JPG|[[Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya]] on the official viewing stand
File:SANGUIS BRUGENSIS14 16.JPG|Mgr De Kesel receives his high guests.
File:SANGUIS_BRUGENSIS14_23.JPG|Other relics are carried in the procession.
File:Reliekschrijn Sint Donatius; Brugge.JPG|Saint Donatus of Reims, patron of the diocese
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Procession of the Precious Blood, Bruges}}
*[https://www.brugge.be/heilig-bloedprocessie-2 Heilig Bloedprocessie] at the official website of the city of Bruges
* {{Cite web|title=200,000 people flock to old world city to see centuries old religious procession of the Holy Blood |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/200-000-people |year=1925 |publisher=[[British Pathé]]}} (Digitised newsreel)
* {{Cite web|title=The Procession of the Holy Blood |year=1933 |url=https://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-procession-of-the-holy-blood |publisher=British Pathé}} (Digitised newsreel)
{{Liturgical year of the Catholic Church}}
{{UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity}}
[[Category:History of Bruges]]
[[Category:Parades in Belgium]]
[[Category:Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity]]
[[Category:Catholicism in Belgium]]
[[Category:Belgian folklore]]
[[Category:Religious festivals in Belgium]]
[[Category:Spring (season) in Belgium]]
[[Category:Christian processions]]