Easter horse ride in Upper Lusatia - a procession with choral singing

Every year on the morning of Easter Sunday Catholic riders announce the joyous news of Jesus Christ's resurrection on the Upper Lusatia horse ride. The mounted procession featuring festively adorned horses and the singing of hymns combines elements of pre-Christian and Christian customs.

The horse ride, which takes place between Bautzen and Kamenz on the morning of Easter Sunday, is a traditional Sorbian custom of the Catholic community of Upper Lusatia, first mentioned in 1541. The procession consists of more than 100 festively adorned horses lead by the flag bearers and riders carrying the Christ statue and the cross. Clad in black trousers, frock coats, top hats and riding boots, the riders gather in front of the church and are blessed by the local priest before setting off to the sound of the ringing church bells.

Time-honoured techniques of decorating Easter eggs are demonstrated at the traditional Easter market in Bautzen, where ancient Easter customs such as Easter singing, the Easter water fetching ceremony, the Easter bonfire and an Easter shooting competition also feature. The "Eierschieben" egg-rolling event in Bautzen is a real tourist attraction.

The Easter horse riders celebrate mass together before the start of the procession. Afterwards, they ride around their local church and are blessed before setting out across the countryside to deliver the joyous news of Jesus Christ's resurrection. The riders circle every church or village square along the route of the procession several times, singing Sorbian hymns but also German and Latin ones. Before leaving each village, they pray loudly. This event attracts thousands of visitors every year.


Contact:
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Internet: http://www.bautzen.de/