2023-08-26 17:15:00
“It was an ideal year, it was very pleasant. Les Bruyères were still in bloom, we could hear the birds”, testifies Marielle Pitz, a native of Jalhay and secretary of the cultural committee of Sart-Jalhay, a few minutes after her arrival in the Fischbach Chapel.
The pilgrimage brought back to light by the cultural committee of Sart-Jalhay in 2014, on the initiative of one of its members Jean Pirnay, took place this Saturday under a beautiful sun accompanied by a few squalls to refresh the pilgrims on the way. . The mass was relaunched in the process, this year it was the dean of Malmedy, Vital Nlandu, who welcomed the walkers and the others to the place of worship, the highest in Belgium.
On the left, Marielle Pitz accompanied by members of the Laundry Museum located in Spa. ©- Cindy Thonon
The tradition dates back to 1832, in his prayers, the priest of Sart had promised to cross the Fagnes on foot if the epidemic of dysentery which ravaged his commune disappeared.
Today, pilgrims come together above all to continue to bring the heritage to life, confides Marielle Pitz. The idea of continuing to bring the heritage of the region to life is also one of the reasons why the majority of walkers are dressed as they were at the time. “It’s the transmission of our heritage. The people who started it can no longer participate in it, so we take over. I think there will always be someone to keep this heritage alive. , I am optimistic about the future.”
It is also an opportunity to discover different hiking trails in the Hautes Fagnes. About fifty people came this year to attend mass.
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