Walking with Mother Mary

Today was the first day of a 2 day 2x 40 km training walk. This time, I didn't walk alone, but with about 1600 other pilgrims. The walk I joined was the yearly pilgrimage from Valkenswaard to Mother Mary of Handel (in Handel). Nowadays, most people join the pilgrimage purely for the walking part, but it still includes continues singing of Mother Mary songs, a Holy Mass on Saturday evening after the walk and one on Sunday morning before the walk and carrying a statuette of Mother Mary around the church in Handel. It was very interesting to be a part of such an old tradition and even though I joined on my own, I truly never walked alone.

The pilgrimage banner, showing Mother Mary and the names of the two towns, Valkenswaard and Handel

Pilgrims taking a brake and enjoying the sunshine

Waiting to get going

Horse drawn carriages were also part of the procession

On the go

Little decorated cups holding wishes for Mother Mary

'Little brides' joined the statuette of Mother Mary for the last meters of the pilgrimage