Bavarian tradition honors St. Leonhard, patron saint of farmers, horses and livestock

WARNGAU, Germany — 

Farmers and their horses walked successful a festive parade done the tiny Bavarian municipality of Warngau connected Sunday to grant their patron saint, St. Leonhard.

Their manes neatly combed, the monolithic horses were decorated with ribbons and greenery arsenic they pulled the adorned carriages to a section religion arsenic portion of the procession immoderate 35 kilometers (22 miles) southbound of Munich.

Farmers donned colorful determination costumes and hats decorated with tufts of carnal hairsbreadth called Gamsbart, oregon chamois beards, arsenic townspeople joined successful amid the pounding of hooves. After the procession, the revelry traditionally turned to toasts with schnapps.

Often called Leonhardiritt oregon Leonhardifahrt, the accepted pilgrimage dates backmost centuries successful Bavaria and Austria. It was revived successful Warngau successful 1983, aft an 80-year break, and takes spot determination each twelvemonth connected the 4th Sunday successful October, up of the yearly Nov. 6 feast day.

St. Leonhard (St. Leonard successful English) is the patron saint of farmers, horses and livestock. Also known arsenic St. Leonard of Noblac, helium was a Frankish courtier who asked God to repel an invading army, according to the Catholic News Agency. His plea worked, and helium converted to Christianity pursuing what helium believed was a miracle.

Other Bavarian towns person akin traditions. In Bad Tolz, southwest of Warngau, this year's Nov. 6 procession volition beryllium the 169th successful a row.

Bad Tolz's pilgrimage is listed connected the Nationwide Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the German Commission for UNESCO. Only cold-blooded horses — ample draught horses similar Clydesdales — are allowed successful the procession, which begins astatine 9 a.m. erstwhile each of the town's religion bells ring.

The assemblage journeys to a Leonhardi chapel for blessings and an open-air Mass. The contented involves the full town, from the younker to the clergy and the metropolis councilors.

St. Leonhard mostly lived successful monasteries and successful seclusion successful what is present France, though Bad Tolz calls him the "Bavarian Lord." According to legend, his prayers were believed to beryllium breaking the chains of captives. He is besides the patron saint of prisoners, among different groups.

He died of earthy causes astir the twelvemonth 559, and galore Catholic churches person been dedicated to him passim Europe.