400 Years Of The Oktav

The Muttergottesoktav (or “Octave of the Mother of God”) is an important religious tradition in Luxembourg that is still firmly anchored in the country’s ecclesiastical life today. The origins of the tradition date back to 8 December 1624, when Father Jacques Brocquart, a Jesuit priest, and a number of students from the Jesuit college carried a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary to the site of the present-day Place du Glacis and erected it there. This statue quickly became a place of pilgrimage for those who were sick, mourning or in need.

The pilgrimage was given the name Oktav (Octave) because it originally lasted eight days. Today, however, the festivities last for two weeks and take place between the fourth and sixth week after Easter, with the solemn final procession marking the end of the Octave. The statue, which now stands in the Notre- Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, can be visited all year round.

The Muttergottesoktav was recognised as part of Luxembourg’s intangible cultural heritage in 2008 due to the fact that, in addition to its religious significance, it is an important cultural event for the Grand Duchy.