An annual pilgrimage to Foy Notre-Dame in Dinant, Namur Province, has been recognised as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage by the French Community Government, also known as the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
The official recognition of the pilgrimage occurred on 7 December, according to the federation’s General Administration of Culture.
Performed every Whit Monday between Rochefort and Foy Notre-Dame, the round-trip totals 52 km and attracts about 40 people annually. Despite the modest attendance, the pilgrimage holds significant local importance, the General Administration of Culture stressed.
An armed pilgrimage featuring period-costumed diversity occurs every three years, then every four years, in a seven-year cycle. The Foy soldiers, starting from the Rochefort County Castle, escort the pilgrims in procession. This variation attracts about 240 participants, including soldiers, pilgrims, and onlookers, with about 1,000 spectators at the starting point and over 2,200 upon the pilgrimage’s return to the city.
Recognition as an oral and intangible heritage masterpiece primarily carries symbolic weight, according to the General Administration of Culture.
However, it often assists in championing and highlighting the recognised masterpiece, ensuring its authenticity, and sensitising local authorities and the public to the value of living heritage.
The Foy Notre-Dame pilgrimage has been a tradition since the 17th century, while its current form dates back to 1934.
