Ducasse de Mons

History

The Ducasse de Mons originates in the Middle Ages, though its exact beginnings are difficult to determine. The first known mention dates from 1248. It began as a religious procession involving circumambulation around a symbol of the city's patron saint.

A persistent but erroneous legend links the festival to the plague of 1349, claiming that after the shrine of Saint Waltrude was brought to Casteau alongside the shrine of her husband Vincent Madelgarus from Soignies, the epidemic ceased, leading to an annual repetition. Over time, the procession became more secular. In 1352, the date was fixed on Trinity Sunday. After 1380, the fraternity of Saint George, composed of nobles and city officials, appeared.

From 1440, the reenactment of the combat between Saint George and a dragon was added. The festival faced suppression during political and religious upheavals: in 1786 by Emperor Joseph II of Austria, in 1794 by French revolutionaries, and in 1819 by King William I of the Netherlands. The Concordat of 1801 restored both the procession and the fight, though the procession did not occur in 1803.

Planning

The feast spans from the Saturday before Trinity Sunday to the following Sunday, forming an eight-day octave. On Saturday evening, the shrine is taken down from its altar in the Collegiate Church of St. Waudru and handed to town authorities, followed by a torchlit procession. On Trinity Sunday morning, the shrine is placed on the Car d'Or, a gilded dray pulled by draft horses through the streets, accompanied by guilds. At the end of the route, the carriage must ascend the steep, cobblestoned Rampe Sainte-Waudru; hundreds of people push to help the horses.

Local superstition holds that if the Car d'Or fails to reach the top in one attempt, the city will face great misfortune—this occurred in 1803, 1914, and 1940. The combat Lumeçon takes place on the Grand-Place between 12:30 and 13:00. The dragon, about 10 metres long with a tail covered in horsehair, is moved by the white men.

Saint George is protected by the Chinchins, who represent dogs, while devils armed with inflated cow bladders strike the Chinchins and the crowd. Leaf men covered in ivy help defend the dragon's tail. Spectators try to pluck hairs from the tail for good luck. At week's end, the shrine is returned to the church.

Other information

On the Friday evening before Trinity weekend, a large concert with military bands from around the world is held on the Grand-Place. A braderie, or street clearance sale, takes place on the Monday after. The following Sunday features a children's combat with a lighter dragon. During the festivities, the city centre streets become a pedestrian zone filled with people enjoying music, Belgian chips, barbecues, Belgian beer, and carbonated drinks.