St. Nicholas Day in Switzerland
(European News)
Switzerland celebrate the Day of St. Nicholas. In the evening of the third of December in the Swiss city of Kussnacht am Rigi, which is located on the shores of Lake Lucerne in the Schwyz canton, will be held very unusual, but impressive and entertaining holiday. It is called Klausjagen and is celebrated in honor of St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus in a local variant. According to the legend, St. Nicholas with the help of the lash and bell-ringing all devils and demons from this region and in the memory of these events the residents of Kussnacht am Rigi annually organize parade three days before St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (the day of celebration and commemoration of St. Nicholas).
The holiday itself begins at 20.15 when in the entire city is turned on all the illumination and on the main street of the city appears the procession. The procession is headed by the men clearing the way with shepherd whips and snapping by it. It is followed by about 200 participants with "Iffelen" on their heads. Iffelen is a construction of about a meter in height, made of cardboard in the form of episcopal miter with a mosaic pattern. Inside Iffelen are set candles and the whole construction is put on the head. In the dark it looks like a multicolored mosaic window.
And finally, surrounded by children with torches, goes St. Nicholas himself, he is accompanied by "Schmutzli" in black clothes and hoods. They give candies to the children and passers-by. They are followed by men dressed in white village shirts carrying on their belts large cow bells, which during the movement produces a loud rhythmic chime. The parade is completed by trumpeters also dressed in white robes with hoods. They are buzzing on the move in their trumps made from cow horns. Given that everything that happens in the darkness is illuminated only by torches and Iffelen, it is a truly fabulous and unforgettable experience. Klausjagen annually collect in small Kussnacht am Rigi more than 25 000 tourists, which is 2 times more than its population.
Date: 06/12/2010
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