If you are looking for something interesting and enjoyable to do on Easter Monday you might consider at trip to Hakendover, a village a few kilometres outside the Flemish Brabant town of Tienen. Each year on Easter Monday Hakendover is the scene of a horse procession.
Last year aftera two-year break due to COVID around 25,000 people flocked to Hakendover to watch the procession. This year ponies will also be allowed to take part for the first time.
An age-old tradition
Every Easter Monday at 11 am the international horse procession gets under way in the small Flemish Brabant village of Hakendover. The first part of the procession depicts the founding legend of the parish church in a living reredos dating from the year 690.
The restored wooden altarpiece that dates from the start of the 15th century can be viewed inside the church.
In terms of the number of visitors the Hakendover Horse Procession is the third largest procession in Belgium. In 2022 around 25,000 people flocked to the village that has a population of only around 1,500 to see the procession.
Many pilgrims come to Hakendover. Hakendover is one of the few parishes in Belgium where the parish church is named after Christ, the Divine Savior.
The image of the Divine Savior is carried in the procession that dates back to the 14th century.
The exciting finale to the procession sees thousands of pilgrims and hundreds of horse riders make their way to the Tiense Berg, a hill on the edge of the village. There follows the spectacular horse gallop. The horses gallop three rounds around the pilgrims. In the past, this was seen as a kind of fertility rite. Riding the horses is said to promote the "fertility" of the agricultural land in the area.
Flemish Cultural Heritage status
Last year the procession was granted official recognition as “Flemish Cultural Heritage”. Over the years the Horse Procession has evolved from a religious event to a popular cultural event that is enjoyed by young and old. The procession is a focal point of village life and attracts thousands of visitors to Hakendover.
When the procession was granted official Flemish Cultural Heritage status the the Chairman of the committee that organises the procession Johan Dewolfs told VRT News that "As an organisation we have been working for many years to reach the position that we are now at. Moreover, this provides great encouragement to continue in a similar vein. The inventory of intangible heritage contains knowledge, customs and practices that are so important we must cherish them to be able to pass them on to future generations”.
The video below features images of last year’s procession. As every year, this year’s procession will get under way at 11am.
