DirectRooms.com – The Blood of Christ is paraded through Brugge

DirectRooms.com reports that a prominent religious procession, with origins from the Middle Ages, will be taking place in Brugge that sees a relic containing the blood of Jesus carried through the city's streets.

Procession of the Holy Blood sees tens of thousands of spectators lining the streets to see the relic as it's normally a solid mass but on the day of the procession is believed to mystically become fluid again. The festival is held every year on Ascension Day which this year is on 2nd June, and as part of the event choirs and live music will follow the relic.

Visitors can also see many scenes from the Bible being re-enacted with actors performing small plays and residents dressed in formal yet elaborate costumes. Even animals such as camels and geese join in with the procession and many of the floats are drawn elegantly by horses.

Over 3,000 people are involved with the parade and it holds a significant spiritual reverence with many priests, nuns and bishops travelling to Brugge especially. Crowd numbers have been known to reach 100,000 but as the Holy Blood is carried through everyone becomes quiet as a mark of respect.

Lek Boonlert, marketing head at DirectRooms.com commented: "With so many people coming along to watch the likelihood of finding a hotel in Brugge will be slim on the date of the festival. People planning on travelling to the city should sort their accommodation as soon as possible."