Procession of the Holy Blood (audio guide)

Every year on Ascension Day, the Procession of the Holy Blood winds its way through the historic city center of Bruges. The Procession of the Holy Blood originated in 1304 as an expression of gratitude and faith.

The dominant theme refers to the Passion of Jesus Christ. The stories of the Bible form the basis of the procession. Thematically, the Procession of the Holy Blood consists of five parts. The reenactment begins with an introduction. Next comes the Old Testament, from Paradise to Rorate. The New Testament follows, from the Nativity in Bethlehem to Pentecost. The fourth part shows how the relic of the Holy Blood finally arrived in Bruges. In the final part, members of the Noble Brotherhood of the Holy Blood escort the reliquary in which the precious relic is preserved.

More than 1,800 participants sing, play music, dance, and perform. The style of the procession recalls the Burgundian period when guilds, corporations, confraternities, and rhetorical chambers were responsible for staging the scenes.

Follow the Procession of the Holy Blood with an audio description via this tour. The audio description is divided into 20 parts. Activate the Bluetooth function on your cell phone or tablet. During the procession, you will receive regular notifications; you can then start the audio description, which will provide a description of the scenes passing by.

The Procession of the Holy Blood is included on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (UNESCO).

Scan the QR code with ErfgoedApp start the tour, or start the tour in the app.