Every year, on the first and second Sunday after Pentecost, the Holy Blood Procession takes place in Hoogstraten. On both days, there is a high mass in the morning, which ends around 11:00 AM, after which the procession begins at St. Catherine's Church at Vrijheid 151.
The history of the procession is centuries old. A legend tells... Around the year 1370, a miraculous event occurred in the Dutch municipality of Boxtel. During a celebration, priest Eligius van den Aker (1320-1377) knocked over the chalice of white wine. Immediately, red stains appeared on two altar cloths. The priest wanted to clean the cloths at home, but the stains did not disappear. He concluded that the communion wine had turned into the blood of Jesus. Eligius kept the cloths in his house until the moment he was on his deathbed. He confessed the secret and gave the two blood-stained cloths to the confessor. The dying man gave permission for the miracle to be made public. After the death of priest Eligius van den Aker, Boxtel became a pilgrimage site and a Holy Blood Chapel was built in the Sint-Petruskerk church in that place, where the cloths with miraculous blood are kept.
In the 17th century, there were disturbances due to the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and this religious war brought much unrest with violence, murders, and the destruction of Catholic churches in particular. The bloodied cloths were then not safe in Boxtel and were taken to the Southern Netherlands to be kept safe there, thus arriving in Hoogstraten in 1652. This was mainly due to the initiative of Ambrosius van Horne (1609-1656), second Count of Baucigny and Lord of Boxtel and Liempde. Since then, Flemish Hoogstraten has possessed the Holy Blood of Jesus.
In 1924 one of the two cloths was returned to Boxtel.
On 26 May 1652, the Holy Blood Procession walked through the centre of Hoogstraten for the first time. The tradition of holding the procession is therefore rightfully a great heritage.
The current arrangement of the procession was devised in the mid-20th century by priest, artist and teacher Remi Lens (1902-1983) and dean, teacher Jozef Lauwerys (1896-1982) and consists of four parts. Leading the way are the opening groups, including standard bearers and the group of Saint Catherine, who is the patron saint of Hoogstraten. This is followed by the depiction of the Eucharist, with, among others, cross bearers, penitents, angels, evangelists and a bunch of grapes. The third part focuses on Our Lady, and her image of Our Lady of the Rosary is carried along. The final part emphasises the Blessed Sacrament.
In 2008 the Procession of the Holy Blood was recognised as Flemish intangible heritage.
The Procession of the Holy Blood is organised by The Holy Blood Committee, Vrijheid 185, 2320 Hoogstraten.
Op www.heiligbloedhoogstraten.be up-to-date information can be found.
