The Procession of the Holy Blood attracted some 40,000 spectators in Brugge on Thursday, its organisers announced.
The procession, made up of some 1,800 participants, took to the streets of the city from 2.30pm in bright sunshine. No incidents were reported, according to the event’s coordinator, Matthieu Clarysse.
As is the case every year, a reliquary containing drops of blood attributed to Christ was carried through the city by various deacons.
The event, which originated in 1304, has been listed by UNESCO since 2009 as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The relic of the Holy Blood was transferred in 1148 from Jerusalem to Brugge by Count Thierry of Alsace.
The procession, organised every year on Ascension Day by the Brotherhood of the Holy Blood, presents scenes from the Old and New Testaments in a style reminiscent of the Burgundian period.
