21/05/2024
It was May 1412, and a man lay dying in the village of Steinbühl, Bavaria.
He asked for a priest so he could be given the last rites, but the area was home to wolves and bears, among other dangers, and the Kötzing priest refused to make the 7km/5 ml journey unless he was protected.
Young men from the village offered to accompany him, and the dying man received his sacraments. A successful journey, so as a form of thanks it was decided to repeat the ride each year.
Now at 8 a.m. on Whit Monday over 900 Tracht wearing riders from the region, mounted on garlanded horses from all over Bavaria, travel in a procession that begins in Kötzting and ends in Steinbühl.
A Pfingstritt, led by a cross bearer who is followed by lantern bearers, fanfare players, a member of the clergy with his sextons and servers, and finally the Pentecost bridegroom with two groomsmen.
And to a background of ringing church bells, the horsemen, a mixture of citizens and farmers, including young boys, ride off while saying their rosaries.
First a Pentecostal Mass in the pilgrimage church of St. Nicholas in Steinbühl, then at 12 noon it's time for the journey back to another church service in Kötzing St. Vitus Church, and this brings an end to the religious part of the Pfingstritt.
Now the Pfingstmontag festivities, with food, drink, a country fair and "Pfingsthochzeit", Pentecost wedding, begins.
But that is a whole other story.
Photo credit: Der Pfingstritt in Bad Koetzting via Bayern.by
