GENEVA LIVING
 
Laila Rodriguez
Laila Rodriguez
 

The Auffahrtsumritt, which celebrates Ascension Day in Switzerland - Photo ©Auffahrtsumritt Beromünster

Switzerland – Most residents of Switzerland are enjoying a Thursday off; for many this is the beginning of a four-day weekend courtesy of an ancient Christian tradition: Ascension Day.

In Christian faith, Ascension Day, or the Feast of the Ascension, celebrates the day when the resurrected Jesus went up to heaven, 40 days after Easter Sunday.

Ascension is a recognized Federal holiday in Switzerland and one of several with religious connotations.

What is particular about this holiday is that it is recognized by both Catholic Church and Protestant Reformed Church cantons.

The most colorful celebration takes place in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

It is known as the Auffahrtsumritt in German and Cavalcade de l’Ascension in French, a procession on foot and horse through the streets of Beromünster in canton Lucerne.

The tradition dates to 1509 (or 1402 according to other accounts), when, according to its organizers, people used to pray for the good health of the crops, for happiness and the welfare of the family and home.

In 1780 the number of participants, mostly on horses, increased, and it became a popular celebration in the country.

Happy day off and Happy Father’s Day (today is not only Ascension Day in Germany but also Father’s Day.)

**

Stay in the know, follow Geneva Living on Facebook, Twitter, RSS, by e-mail; or through GenevaLunch News on Facebook.

 

 

Posted by :: Laila Rodriguez on 17 May 2012 at 7:22 | permalink
        Post Comment  
 

GenevaLunch, 17 May 2012.

Filed under: Miscellaneous

Tags: , , ,

Both comments and pings are currently closed.

We are happy to have your comments, which are approved before they appear: please remember to be courteous and brief. We accept only comments directly related to an article. We do not accept comment spam - messages sent to more than one site. We do not publish comments if the e-mail address is not legitimate. Thank you!

Older comments

  1. GENEVA LIVING » Switzerland celebrates Pentecost (Whit Monday) Says:
    June 13th, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    [...] recognized federal holiday in Switzerland and one of several with religious connotations but unlike Ascension Day, it is not recognized nor celebrated by all cantons in the [...]