What is the Ommegang? A centuries-old Brussels tradition explained

Richard Harris
© The Bulletin
19/06/2016

See 1.500 participants in 16th-century costume in central Brussels on 5 and 7 July.

Newcomers to Brussels are often perplexed by the Ommegang, which this year takes place on 5 and 7 July. They wonder: what is it exactly? It is a convergence of traditions that can't be explained in just a couple of words.

First of all, Ommegang means walkabout and it is an old religious tradition that consists of honouring a miraculous statue or a patron saint by holding a procession that circles a church or circles through a parish carrying the effigy in question. There are still a number of Ommegangs in Belgium including one in Mechelen that only occurs every 25 years.

What's the story behind the Brussels Ommegang?

The Brussels Ommegang originates with the story of Béatrice Soetkens, who in 1348 heard voices that told her that the Virgin Mary wanted to reward Brussels and especially the Crossbowmen Serment for having erected a chapel in her honour on the Sablon.

She wanted Béatrice to go to Antwerp, take a miraculous statue called Our Lady of the Branch and bring it back to Brussels. Being rowed by her husband, Béatrice gets to Antwerp by boat, removes the statue from the cathedral and returns to Brussels.

Rowing against the wind and the current, her husband is exhausted but a Holy Wind speeds the boat home. It arrives surrounded by a supernatural light. Everyone including the Antwerpers agree that this is God's will and the statue gets a place of honour in the Sablon chapel which is soon replaced by the church we know today.

Yearly the statue is paraded around the church by the crossbowmen. As time goes by, the Ommegang goes from being a uniquely religious event to an event also celebrating the city - and the seven great families, the guilds, the serments and the civil authorities as well as the crossbowmen all take part.

Which brings us to 1549 when the Emperor Charles V comes to his capital city, Brussels, to present his son and heir, the future Philip II. The Brussels elite takes the opportunity to show the wealth and power of the city with a particularly opulent Ommegang. In 1930, for the centenary of Belgium, the Ommegang was revived. Since then it has grown in scope, especially in the last 10 years as it vies for Unesco world heritage status.

So, how is it celebrated today?

The Ommegang is now a three-day affair occurring on the first Thursday in July and the previous Tuesday with events both in the Royal Quarter and the Grand-Place. Some 1,500 participants dress in lovingly recreated sumptuous 16th century costumes, with hundreds of banners and also folkloric giants, folkloric characters, groups on horseback and the imperial court.

In fact all participants who portray historical figures are descendants of those figures. For instance, the emperor is played by the Marquis de Trazégnies, who has been doing this since he was a child. "This is a family tradition," he says. "I started at six or seven years old as a page, then carrying the heraldic crest of my family, and after a break while my children were very small I started again in 2008 and now I'm 44 and still doing it, and my children are also participating."

How/where can I see the show?

There are three ways to enjoy the spectacle. One is to go to the Royal Park during the afternoon where there is a medieval village, a medieval market, a jousting competition, and eating and drinking opportunities including the Ommegang beer. At the Sablon there is a crossbow competition between the Grand Serment Royal et Noble des Arbalétriers de Notre-Dame du Sablon and les Arbalétriers du Grand Serment Royal et de Saint Georges for the Golden Arrow. One of the most enchanting aspects of the afternoon is that, little by little, one goes from being surrounded by people in 21st century dress to being surrounded by people seemingly from the XVIth century.

The second way is to arrive at around 20.00 and follow the pre-processions as they leave from the Royal Park or the Place Royale, merge at the Sablon where the official Ommegang starts and take a roundabout way down to the Grand-Place at 20.50.

The third way is to attend the elaborate spectacle on the Grand-Place, which ends with the ever-popular battle of men on very tall stilts. The spectacle this year includes pyrotechnics, light shows, live singing by a tenor and a mezzo-soprano, and narration in French, Dutch, and English. In a typical Belgian mélange, the English is narrated by Flemish humorist Bert Kruismans, the Dutch is narrated by Francophone singer Jo Lemaire and the French is narrated by an actual Frenchman, this year veteran newsman Patrick Poivre d'Arvor. Singer Ozark Henry will open the spectacle. Seats for the show range from €38 to €78, however one side of the Grand-Place is free to those willing to stand, but get there early if you want to see anything.

Whichever way you decide to attend, the spectacle is grand and the activities great fun. In fact, if you have the stamina you can see it all.

The Ommegang, 5 and 7 July (Royal Park activities also on 6 July)

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