Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of maps
- Acknowledgments
- List of abbreviations
- Note on currency and monies of account
- Introduction
- 1 The Holy Blood procession
- 2 General processions
- 3 Feast days and liturgical commemoration
- 4 Guilds: feast, festivity and public worship
- 5 Guilds and civic government
- 6 Civic charity
- 7 Civic ceremony, religion and the counts of Flanders
- Conclusion and epilogue: civic morality c. 1500
- Appendices
- Bibliography
- Index
2 - General processions
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of maps
- Acknowledgments
- List of abbreviations
- Note on currency and monies of account
- Introduction
- 1 The Holy Blood procession
- 2 General processions
- 3 Feast days and liturgical commemoration
- 4 Guilds: feast, festivity and public worship
- 5 Guilds and civic government
- 6 Civic charity
- 7 Civic ceremony, religion and the counts of Flanders
- Conclusion and epilogue: civic morality c. 1500
- Appendices
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
On Wednesday 6 July 1491, the Holy Blood relic was carried on a procession of a different kind. One anonymous chronicler described the occasion. A great number participated: representatives of the four religious orders – children and priests – and of the seven parish churches – young and old – bareheaded and carrying candles led the way; then came a contingent from St Donatian's, with its choristers; after them, blessing the people, came the bishop of Tournai, holding a gold mitre. The relic itself was carried by the dean and subdean of St Donatian's, surrounded by six guards, each with a burning torch painted with the arms of Bruges. They were followed by another six ‘notable men’ carrying similar torches; then came the captain, baljuw, schout, burghers and officers of the town. A further 300 torches lit up the processors. The cortège began its journey in the burg, and before reaching Our Lady's church, where mass was held, it paused at a station in the markt outside the Belfry, in front of the window ‘from which laws were called out’. There the Holy Blood was placed on a costly stage, and before it, barefoot, bareheaded and on their knees, people sang and prayed for peace in Flanders, the welfare of Count Philip and for good weather.
The procession had been agreed upon two days earlier by the town magistrates, churchmen and the suffragan bishop. The magistrates had laid down its route and purpose.
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- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011