Luxembourg - Echternach Dancing Procession

A relative of mine who travels to the annual dancing procession of Echternach invited me to join him for a four-day hike.

Luxembourg has some fantastic hiking opportunities.  The terrain is relatively easygoing, and there are many inns and places to stay enroute.  We started our journey by staying at a monastery for some quiet contemplation and solace.  For those of any denomination, staying in one of the numerous monasteries in the region offers inexpensive accommodation and a place to get away from the stresses of modern life.  Meals are eaten in silence and its men only - women can gain a similar experience by visiting a nunnery.

For those unprepared to undergo the rigors of monastic life why not stay in a hotel nearby and simply attend one of the many religious services?

History of the Procession

An English missionary, Saint Willibrord, established an abbey at a Roman villa in what is now known as the town of Echternach, Luxembourg .  The dancing procession takes place in Echternach on Whit Sunday to honour Saint Willibrord who is interred there.  Some have suggested that the procession may have taken place before Willibrord's death in 738 and that there are certain pagan elements to it.

Regardless of its exact origins, documents from the fifteenth century attest to the dancing procession being a long-established tradition.  It was a very hot day when I took part in the procession.  We arrived early, with thousands of others, in the courtyard next to the Abbey/ Church wearing the customary white attire.  Those taking part form groups of four or five side by side and hold a white hankie instead of holding hands (this was useful for practical reasons as it would have been very sweaty holding hands for several hours).

Though it is called a "Dancing Procession", few people actually dance, rather it is more of a jig with three steps forward and two steps back - nobody said it was a fast-moving procession!

As can be expected it was an hour or two before our group even set off.  Interspersed amongst the participants are numerous bands all playing the same melody that has been played at the procession for centuries.  The march goes around the town center and then back towards the church.  The procession goes into the church and down into the crypt after being blessed by a Bishop.

After we emerged from the crypt holding Saint Willibrord's remains we decided to sit in the church and watch the many more participants enter the church.  My relative would have been more than happy staying there for the next few hours, however, whilst the tune may be very agreeable, I had had enough by this point and insisted that we go for some refreshments.

According to some sources, Archbishop Wenceslas forbid the music and dancing in 1777 and the procession was banned in 1786 by Emperor Joseph II.  It was restarted in 1802 and has continued ever since.

Many people come from all around to take part in the procession - they are mainly from Germany , Belgium and France.  As far as I can tell we were the only people from the UK in attendance.

We returned the next day to London.  We treated ourselves to first class tickets on the Eurostar which was a delightful experience.

By: Sam