Ducasse de Mons
The Ducasse de Mons (locally also called Doudou ) is a traditional folk festival in Mons, Belgium . It takes place annually on Trinity Sunday and has been part of the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage since November 2005 .
The festival essentially consists of two parts:
- the procession (Procession de la Trinité) , during which the relics of Saint Waltraud of Mons are carried through the city and
- the simulated fight between Saint George and a dragon (Lumeçon) .
history
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The origins of the Doudou go back to the Middle Ages . Because the bubonic plague raged in the city , the authorities decided in 1349 to organize a procession with the shrine of Waltraud. The shrine was brought to Casteau , as was that of Waltraud's husband Vinzenz Madelgarius , who had his usual place in Soignies . As if by a miracle, the plague disappeared shortly afterwards. The procession has taken place on Trinity Sunday since 1352.
The Brotherhood of St. George has been taking part in the procession since 1380. The reenactment of George's dragon fight was also part of the procession from that time on. Because of its less religious origin, this battle was separated from the procession in the 19th century.
During the French Revolution and the two world wars, as well as in 1803, the procession did not take place.
Planning
The festival begins on the Saturday before Trinity Sunday and lasts until the following Sunday. Thus it forms an octave in the liturgical sense .
procession
The descent of the shrine takes place on Saturday evening. With a religious ceremony, the shrine is removed from its associated altar in the Sainte-Waudru collegiate church . The priest then gives it to the (secular) representatives of the city for the duration of the festival. This is followed by a procession with torches through the old town.
On the morning of Trinity Sunday, the shrine is lifted onto an elaborately decorated wooden car (Car d'Or) and the actual procession begins. The Car d'Or is pulled through the streets by horses and the parade is accompanied by several guilds , which represent different aspects of the history of the region. At the end, the Car d'Or has to be pulled up a steep cobblestone street called the Sainte-Waudru ramp . To support the horses, hundreds of people gather behind the wagon and push it. According to local superstitions, the city will be bad luck if you fail to push the car up the street in one go.
At the end of the week, the shrine will be brought back to the church for another grand ceremony.
Georg's dragon fight
The roof game depicts the fight between Saint George, who represents good, and a dragon , who stands for evil. The fight is called Lumeçon , which derives from the old French word Limaçon (denotes a spectacle with horses moving in a circle ) derives. It takes place on Trinity Sunday between 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. on the market square of the city of Mons (Grande-Place) and follows a strict choreography.
The dragon is about 10 meters long and the end of its tail is covered with horse hair. He is moved by the white men (ommes blancs) and protected and defended by figures of the devil. Each of these devils is equipped with balloons (historically: inflated cow bladders), which keep opponents and spectators away. The dragon itself attacks Georg with its tail, but also defends itself against the audience. They, in turn, try to tear off some of the dragon's tail horsehair because this will bring good luck for the next year. Georg is supported by the so-called chinchins .
At the end the “leaf men” (hommes de feuilles) , which are covered with real ivy leaves , help the dragon and defend its tail.
Georg moves clockwise on his horse, whereas the dragon moves in the opposite direction. First Georg tries to kill the dragon with his lance, but it breaks off on the dragon's skin. That's why Georg then uses a pistol and shoots the dragon on the third attempt. Now, around 1 p.m., the protagonists leave the arena and the spectators storm into the middle to find the last hairs on their tail.
The following Sunday there is a kite fight for children.
The Musée du Doudou , which explains the tradition of the Doudou, was opened in 2015 as part of the European Capital of Culture year .
Upcoming events
- 2016: May 22nd
- 2017: June 11th
- 2018: May 27th
- 2019: June 9th
Web links
Representative list : Binche Carnival (2003) | Processions of Giants and Dragons : Ducasse d'Ath and Ducasse de Mons (2008) | Holy Blood procession in Bruges (2009) | Aalster Carnival (2001) | Cracker and Tonnekensbrand (2010) | Houtem Jaarmarkt (2010) | Rites of passage in Leuven (2011) | Marches of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse (2012) | Crab fishing on horses in Oostduinkerke (?) | Falconry (2016) | Belgian beer brewing trade (2016)
Good practice examples : Preserving and cultivating traditional diversity of sports and games in Flanders (2011) | Preservation and transmission of the carillon culture (2014)