The Ducasse of Mons
From Thursday, 15 May to Wednesday 21 May
Since
at least the end of the Middle Ages, Mons, the capital of Hainaut, has celebrated
the city’s feast (its Ducasse, from the French word dedicace, meaning ‘consecration
of the church’) on Trinity Sunday. This procession has already been described
in the 13th century. It gathered members of the Church, religious and professionnal
associations, as well as the city’s authorities. A brotherhood dedicated
to God and to Saint George has introduced the representation of the fight
between Saint George and the dragon, at least since the 16th century. This
medieval game finds its origin in the Golden Legend.
Nowadays, the feast starts on Saturday evening when the Reliquary, containing the remains of Saint Waudru, is brought down in the church. On Sunday morning, there is a procession gathering of the historic and religious groups. The procession is marked by a moment of great emotion when the famous Car d’Or (the golden coach carrying the Reliquary of Saint Waudru, itself weighting some 350 kilograms) has to go up the ‘rampe de Sainte-Waudru’, the street going to the church. The crowd helps the six horses to climb the street in one breath by ‘poussant au cul du car’ or pushing the back of the coach.
The fight, or Lumeçon, is another big moment of the feast.
On trinity Sunday at 1230 hours, Saint George, identified with the medieval
knight Gilles de Chin, and helped by the Chins-Chins, the skirted hobbyhorses
with dog heads, fight the dragon. Devils help the beast and wild men, wearing
costumes made of ivy leaves, carry the monster’s long tail. The fight ends
with the victory of the Saint, who breaks his lances and fails to kill the
dragon with his sabre before finishing the magical beast off with three
gunshots, one misfired and two deadly ones.
The local people live the feast passionately, vibrating to the tune of the
Doudou, the symbolic song. They take an active part in the fight by trying
to catch the dragon’s tail hairs and in the pushing of the Car d’Or. The
feast symbolizes Mons, identified with the tamed dragon, the Doudou. The
Lumeçon is the most lively and genuine performance of Saint-George’s fight
against the dragon, although there are many descriptions of such games in
Europe during the Middle Ages.
Article
written by Jean-Pierre Ducastelle
Photos: Quentin Dardenne
Extracted from catalogue patrimoine immatériel
de la communauté française de Belgique
(Musée International du Carnaval et du Masque
Binche et la Maison des Géants - Ath)
You can find a detailed programme of the festivity on our website: www.shapeonline.net
La Ducasse de Mons and the 48th International Festival of Military Music Thursday, 15 May to Wednesday, 21 May
Thursday, 15 May
1700 hours Grand-Place, Mons Entertainment: 12th ‘Le Doudou s’ouvre partout’(The Doudou opens everywhere)
Friday, 16 May
1800 hours Belfry Concert of chimes
1930 hours RTBF Hainaut - Auditorium Abel Dubois Poetry evening in honour of the literary men of Mons organised by the Montois Cayaux
2000 hours Grand-Place and surrounding streets Opening concert of the 48th International Festival of Military Music 2200 hours Grand-Place ‘Sud Radio Live Concert of Peter Cincotti
Saturday, 17 May
1100 hours Grand-Place and surrounding streets Military music parade
1100 and 1900 hours Belfry Concert of chimes
1430 hours Collégiale Sainte-Waudru Exhibition of the Dragon and music entertainment
1745 hours Grand-Place Procession of the Magistrate and the Saint George Brotherhood
1800
hours Place Leopold Departure of the 29th Balloon Rally
1830 hours Honour Court of Town Hall Rehearsal of Lumeçon (St George and the Dragon) Evening Grand-Place and surrounding streets Military music parade
2000 hours Collégiale Sainte-Waudru Procession of the reliquary of Sainte-Waudru
2100 hours Grand-Place Military music concert
2200 hours Avenue Maistriau (Firemen Caserne) Departure of the Torchlight Tattoo, with military music
2300 hours Grand-Place Military music entertainment
Sunday, 18 May
0830, 0935, 1200, Belfry Concert of chimes
1222 and 1255 hours 0940 hours Throughout the streets of Mons 659th Procession of the Golden Coach
1230 hours Grand-Place Epic combat of the Lumeçon (St George and the Dragon)
1330 to 2000 hours Place du Parc Musical entertainment and bouncy castle for children
1630 hours Theatre Wallonian cabaret by the ‘Théatre Wallon Montois’
1630 hours Charles Tondreau Stadium 48th International Festival of Military Music: With bands from Germany, Belgium, France, United States, Greece (to be confirmed), Italy(to be confirmed), Estonia, and The Netherlands.
2100 to 2400 hours Grand-Place Non-stop concerts by military musicians
Monday, 19 May
All day Throughout Mons’ Centre Annual pavement sale (Braderie) 0800 hours Belfry Concert of chimes
1100 hours Grand-Place Military music concert
1115 hours Royal Conservatory of Music, rue de Nimy Concert by the Royal Music of the Belgian Navy
1400 hours Grand-Place Archery “special Ducasse”
1500 hours Grand-Place and surrounding streets Military music walking concert
1600 hours Place de St-Symphorien Grand Prix Maistriau (3rd elimination)
2030 hours Grand-Place Military music parade
Tuesday, 20 May
All day Throughout Mons’ Centre Annual pavement sale (Braderie)
0800
hours Belfry Concert of chimes
1300 hours Grand-Place Drawing competition for children: ‘Le Doudou en couleur’
1500 hours Place de St-Symphorien Final of Grand-Prix Maistriau (Balle Pelote)
1530 hours Grand-Place and surrounding streets Military music walking concert
1800 hours Honour Court of Town Hall Rehearsal of Petit Lumeçon
2030 hours Grand-Place Military music parade
2230 hours Grand-Place Final performance by all military bands
2300 hours Grand-Place Fireworks
Wednesday, 21 May
1400 hours Place du Parc Popular games for children
1650 hours Belfry Concert of chimes
1730 hours Grand-Place Combat du Petit Lumeçon (with children)
Sunday, 21 May
1630 hours Theatre Cabaret Wallon de Raccroc by the ‘Théâtre Wallon Montois’.
1745 hours Collégiale Sainte-Waudru Return of the Sainte-Waudru reliquary