About us
We’re excited to introduce you to the passionate individuals who bring the Procession of the Holy Blood to life and make the event an unforgettable experience.
What is the Procession of the Holy Blood?
The Procession of the Holy Blood is an annual event in Bruges, parading through the historic city centre since 1304. Accompanied by hundreds of participants – including musicians, dancers, singers and horse riders – the procession is a living expression of Bruges’ religious and cultural traditions, recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Organisation and coordination
The Procession of the Holy Blood is a project passionately organised and run by the people of Bruges and generations of volunteers over decades. It is an initiative set up by the Heilig Bloedprocessie vzw (Procession of the Holy Blood non-profit organisation), with logistical support from the City of Bruges.
A team of volunteers works tirelessly each year to ensure the procession’s success.
The organisation is spearheaded by a small team of committed staff. Meet the faces behind the procession.
Mieke De Meyer
Mieke De Meyer is an experienced musician and conductor, holding a master’s degree in trumpet and chamber music. She teaches at both the Bruges Conservatory and the Tielt Academy, and also conducts the Koninklijke Fanfare de Zwaan in Lichtervelde. Mieke has been the musical coordinator for the Procession of the Holy Blood for many years. She recruits and schedules all musicians, guiding them through the preparations.
Her connection with the procession began at the age of 15. Remarkably, her son was born on the morning following the procession in 2013 – just the day before, Mieke had been busy ensuring everything was perfectly orchestrated as the musical coordinator.
Ellen Verstraete
Ellen Verstraete is part of the team at Brugge Plus vzw. She has been supporting the organisation of the Procession of the Holy Blood since 2018. As chief assistant to general coordinator, Matthieu, she plays a significant role in organising the event, doing so with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Her responsibilities include scheduling, directing and communicating with all participants and staff members – of whom there are over 2,000.
Ellen holds fond memories of the procession, from her childhood and the time she participated in 2013 with her son and wife. For her, the highlights are the relic’s passage during the morning procession and the collective singing of the Sealing Hymn at the evening mass – moments filled with pride and emotion. She enjoys the day of the procession as the pinnacle of weeks of hard work.
Dominique Deckers
Dominique Deckers, a Bruges native with a passion for theatre, is the director of the Procession of the Holy Blood. Having participated in the procession as a child, he later became an experienced theatre maker and director. Under his guidance, 1,800 extras rehearse their scenes each year, carefully preserving the tradition. This is done with respect for the tradition and UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage of Humanity recognition, while also keeping an eye on modernisation. The core group of organisers, who have become a close-knit group of friends, inspire the Bruges extras and volunteers with their distinctive enthusiasm.
Dominique emphasises the importance of the involvement of the people of Bruges – as a procession that is made possible and directed with hundreds of helping hands. He is proud to contribute to the preservation of this centuries-old tradition.
Jolien Smis
Jolien Smis, a true Bruges local in heart and soul, is the choreographer of the Procession of the Holy Blood. Her responsibilities include recruiting dancers, creating and teaching choreographies to dance groups in the procession, and overseeing all inclusion projects within the procession.
Jolien has been the choreographer since 2015. Before this, she danced in various dance ensembles, such as the ‘Paradijs’ and ‘Johannes de Doper’ groups. A special memory for her is the year the procession could not proceed due to bad weather – so all the extras performed their acts for each other in the preparation hall, creating a strong sense of unity and a true Bruges atmosphere.
Matthieu Clarysse
Matthieu Clarysse has been the general coordinator of the Procession of the Holy Blood since 2017. He is responsible for ensuring the smooth practical, logistical and safe running of the event. This involves a wide range of tasks related to communication, permits, logistics, safety aspects and more. He also oversees the recruitment of animals and groups, the direction of staff, and the organisation of the impressive collection of costumes and shoes. The many innovations in the event are Matthieu’s domain. Interestingly, he personally selects all the fabrics for new costumes himself – in so-called ‘fabric hunts’.
Matthieu has been involved in the procession since he was 12 years old, initially participating in the ‘Paradijs’ and ‘Romeins peloton’ groups, later as a procession guide. From 2014, he followed in the footsteps of his predecessor for three editions.
