Thousands attend the final procession as the 400th Octave concludes in Luxembourg City.
The Octave, Luxembourg’s well-loved two-week religious event concluded on Sunday with the traditional closing procession, during which a statue of the Virgin Mary was carried through Luxembourg City’s historic old town.
Despite poor weather conditions, large crowds turned out to take part in the centuries-old tradition.
According to Tom Kerger – priest of the cathedral – the past two weeks went very well. “You experience a lot during the Octave, especially the interactions with people,” he said. “The most beautiful thing is always seeing the happy faces – and sometimes even tears – because people are so moved to be here and to hear the traditional songs. That is the most beautiful thing.”
The Octave has a long-standing history in Luxembourg, stretching back exactly 400 years. The first records of the pilgrimage date to 1624, when Jesuits settled in Luxembourg – at that time still part of the Spanish Netherlands. Reports of miraculous healings soon attracted pilgrims from across the region. In 1666, the Virgin Mary was declared patron saint of the city, and twelve years later, she was made patron saint of the entire Grand Duchy.
Today, the Octave still attracts many thousands of pilgrims from the Greater Region; however, it is thought that it is still fewer than at its historical peak, when it is recorded as many 80,000 people attended the event.
Although falling short of historical records, this year’s turnout is believed to have been boosted by the public’s affection for the late Pope Francis – who visited Luxembourg not long before his death – and by renewed enthusiasm for worship following the election of a new pope. Attendance was further encouraged by the landmark 400th anniversary of the Octave.
The final day of the Octave marks the culmination of Luxembourg’s largest religious celebration and also signals the end of Octave market at Place Guillaume.