Status: 05/27/2022 3:32 p.m
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For the first time in 900 years, women took part in the traditional blood ride in Weitgarten. Tens of thousands of spectators followed the Catholic equestrian procession.
For the first time women took part as so-called blood riders in the catholic equestrian procession blood ride in Upper Swabia. After the Holy Blood relic was handed over in Weingarten (Baden-Württemberg), some women in tails and top hats rode among the approximately 2,000 riders in almost 100 groups from the region. The organizers could not give an exact number.
According to the organizers, the procession tradition with tens of thousands of spectators has been maintained for more than 900 years. According to legend, the relic contains blood from Christ’s crucifixion mixed with earth.
Women have so far not been allowed to take part in the largest equestrian procession in Europe, according to the city of Weingarten. The responsible parish council had already decided in November 2020 to allow “blood riders”. However, due to the corona pandemic, the procession took place in 2021 with only a few riders – and the association responsible for it had not yet changed its statutes, so that again only men were on horseback. Weingarten is about 30 kilometers from Lake Constance.
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