On Whit Monday, several hundred participants set out on horseback in the Upper Palatinate for the traditional men’s pilgrimage. At the Kötzting Whitsun Ride, they set out in holiday costume from Bad Kötzting (Cham district) to the St. Nicholas Church in the Steinbühl district, about seven kilometers away. Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) and Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) also rode along. After a mass and a rest, the riders returned on their festively decorated horses.
The Whitsun Ride is one of the largest equestrian processions in Europe and is one of the oldest traditional events in Bavaria. According to tradition, only “guys” take part. Women are in charge of the festival and decorating the horses with paper roses.
The Pentecost ride has its origins in a legend, according to which in 1412 a priest wanted to bring the sacraments to a dying man – on horseback. Since robbers lurked along the way, brave fellows protected him. After the happy return, the men vowed to repeat the ride annually. In 2015, the Whitsun Ride was included in the Bavarian State Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage.