Guilds in Le Landeron

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The family coat of arms of every living member hangs in the salle de la question in the castle. Here are the coats of arms of the members of St-Sébastien. Those of St-Antoine are on the wall on the right.
New banner of the St. Sebastian guild from 2002
Parade of the St. Sebastian guild

The families of the town of Landeren (Le Landeron NE) were united in various organizations: the parish for religious life, the parish of St. Maurizius (common property such as forest, castle) and a guild.

Functions of the guild

To this day there are two guilds, whereby the family membership also determines which guild membership is. In addition to functions that a bank or an insurance company now perform, they also formed part of the city's defense system.

The guild of the Holy Spirit

The Guild of the Holy Spirit ( Confrérie du Saint-Esprit ) brought together school and university students and doctors. Founded in 1357, it ran a hospital. It no longer exists today.

The guild of Saints Fabian and Sebastian

The guilds of the Guild of St. Fabian and St. Sebastian ( Honorable Confrérie des Saints Fabien et Sébastien ) consisted mainly of craftsmen. In the city defense they were crossbowmen. During the annual parade, they carry a crossbow and hold a shooting in the castle courtyard. In 1471 the existence of this guild was confirmed by Rudolf von Hochberg, Count of Neuchâtel.

This guild is made up of long -established citizens of the following families: Bellenot (5%), Digier (4%), Frochaux (27%), Gicot (3%), Guenot (6%), Muriset (29%), Peroset ( 3%), Quellet (6%) and Ruedin (17%) (percentages 2003 according to F. Frochaux).

The Guild of Saint Anthony

The guilds of the Guild of St. Antonius ( Honorable Confrérie de Saint-Antoine ) consisted mainly of (wine) farmers. In the city defense they were foot soldiers. This guild is a few years younger and includes fewer families than St. Sebastian. It was founded in 1494 by 46 lay people and 2 religious people, as old documents report.

The guilds today

Today the two guilds have a social character. In the life of the largely Catholic city and parish, they play an important role, but in the modern village, which is Protestant like the majority of the canton of Neuchâtel today, they are almost unknown.

Corpus Christi

In addition to the associations, the two guilds also take part in the Corpus Christi procession with their banners.

anniversary

On the Sunday after the name day of their patron, the guilds meet for the anniversary. On Saturday is the mass of the deceased in the parish church of St-Maurice outside the city walls. Sunday begins with mass in the town's chapel of the Ten Thousand Knights, followed by the annual meeting in the town hall's Gothic courtroom. After the mass, bread is distributed, originally the feeding of the poor.

The subsequent parade with drum and banner, all men in rank and file according to their age, once led up the town and back on the other side of the linden trees to the Capuchins, who read mass, home (Kapuzinerhaus next to the town hall) to accompany. Since more and more guilds no longer live in the town, the parade leads up the town again to Le Landeron Castle for lunch together. After lunch, the billing meeting takes place before the guild master, who changes annually, goes to visit the sick members.

Until a few years ago, there was lunch on the following Monday, which was also open to women and children, originally the orphans and widows of the deceased members. These details relate to St. Sebastian and only differ in small details for St. Antonius.

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