- Title: GERMANY: Traditional Pentecost parade on horses
- Date: 9th June 2014
- Summary: BAD KOETZTING, GERMANY (JUNE 9, 2014) (REUTERS) WIDE OF TOWN WITH RIDER ON HORSEBACK CARRYING CROSS CLOSE OF RIDER WITH CROSS DECORATION OF RIDERS MADE OUT OF WOOD BRASS BAND VARIOUS OF RIDER ON HORSEBACK CARRYING CROSS ONLOOKERS MORE RIDERS ON HORSEBACK HOOVES CARDINAL GERHARD LUDWIG MUELLER (BISHOP OF REGENSBURG AND PREFECT OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, AS APPOINTED BY POPE BENEDICT) ON HORSE ONLOOKERS AND PAN TO RIDERS MORE RIDERS ONLOOKERS HOOVES VARIOUS OF RIDERS THROUGH TOWN ONLOOKERS OUTSIDE OF TOWN VARIOUS OF LINE OF RIDERS SNAKING ALONG ROAD CROSS VARIOUS OF RIDERS ON HORSEBACK IN FRONT OF CROSS VARIOUS OF CROSS AND RIDERS IN BACKGROUND ONLOOKERS AND PAN TO RIDERS AND CARDINAL MUELLER (SOUNDBITE) (German) MAYOR MARKUS HOFMANN SAYING:
- Embargoed: 24th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA9VFLUP5BLT8M5XMK2RJBTC93S
- Story Text: "This tradition is more than 600 years old. To me - as the mayor of the town of Bad Koetzting - it is a huge honour to ride in the parade for the fist time. And if you experience this kind of statement of faith and the many people who came here to see it, then it strengthens the faith and it is something special."
22. HORSE TURDS ON ROAD
GERMANY: More than 900 horsemen attended the annual Pentecost Ride on Monday (June 9) in Bad Koetzting in south-western Germany. The biggest procession in Europe on the Pentecost weekend, it was accompanied by the Bishop of Regensburg, Gerhard Ludwig Mueller.
Tens of thousand of onlookers lined the way to get a glimpse of the horses which were decorated elaborately, and the horsemen in traditional costumes. The pilgrimage led from Bad Koetzting to a church in Steinbuehl about seven kilometres away.
The mayor of Bad Koetzting, Markus Hofmann, hailed the ride for its statement of faith: "To me - as the mayor of the town of Bad Koetzting - it is a huge honour to ride in the parade for the fist time. And if you experience this kind of statement of faith and the many people who came here to see it, then it strengthens the faith and it is something special."
According to the legend in 1412, a priest was to bring the sacrament to a dying man in the tiny church in nearby Steinbuehl. Since bandits lurked along the way, some young men from the village protected the priest on horseback. After the successful journey, the lads vowed to undertake the journey annually. Women are not allowed to take part in the procession.
Pentecost is a prominent holiday in the Christian calendar, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the remaining eleven Apostles of Christ. For this reason, Pentecost is sometimes described as the "Birthday of the Church." Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks (50 days) after Easter Sunday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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