70th boat procession

Automatically saved draft

The Marienschiffsprozession on Lake Wörthersee has become a real event: thousands of people wait at the landing stages for the boats. From 7.30 pm until midnight, people pray, sing and chat - for 70 years now.

(Bild: KH Kronawetter Internetredaktion Diözese Gurk)

Anniversary, world premiere and cherished traditions around the statue of the Virgin Mary from Portugal. There are still tickets left for the ship.

"Guests have already told me that they plan their vacation after the Marian procession. And tickets are often bought as gifts; that's how valuable this pilgrimage on Lake Wörthersee is to people," says a delighted Cathedral priest Peter Allmaier, who has been organizing the Marian boat procession with the city pastoral for several years, in which pilgrims will travel across Lake Wörthersee with the statue of the Virgin Mary for the 70th time this year.

The tradition began in 1954, when the Pope proclaimed a Marian year. The parish of Klagenfurt-St. Josef bought a Madonna in Fátima, Portugal, where Mary is said to have appeared to three shepherd children in 1917. Students from Vienna took the statue with them to Velden. The idea of a procession was born to bring it to Klagenfurt in a festive manner.

The pilgrimage is repeated every year, only twice have the ships not made it far due to the weather, and during the Corona period an empty ghost ship sailed across the lake.

Benedikt Felsinger, the popular "Krone" herb priest, is the preacher this year.

(Bild: Miriam Höhne)

But this year, for the 70th anniversary, there is a big program again. "Because bouquets of herbs are blessed on the Feast of the Assumption, we have invited herbalist Benedikt Felsinger," says Allmaier. The "Krone" columnist preaches at all the stations. Hannes Benedikt, who composed the Carinthian Requiem, will premiere a Carinthian Ave Maria with soprano Margot Loibnegger and the St. Marein brass band in Pörtschach.

The Assumption of Mary is accompanied by bouquets of herbs, so we have invited herbalist Benedikt to preach. We will sing, pray and talk on August 15, and this Marian procession is a bit like a folk festival. Thousands of people come. The atmosphere is festive. We sing, pray and talk to each other.

Peter Allmaier, Dompfarrer zu Klagenfurt

"When we approach a landing stage, we sing a Marian song. People are already waiting for us. The bishop and the preacher, this year Benedikt Felsinger, get off and are greeted. The boat trip is slow, decelerated. It does something to people. It's so nice to get talking," says Allmaier, who enjoys this procession year after year.

Diocesan Bishop Josef Marketz will be on board the Marian ship and greet the faithful at the landing stages. Two ships are currently scheduled for the procession.

(Bild: GERD EGGENBERGER Diözese Gurk)

The unique May devotions have a long tradition in Klagenfurt Cathedral. The rosary has been prayed every day in May for around 120 years, with preachers coming from all over Austria. "The Marian procession is therefore a good fit for us," says cathedral priest Peter Allmaier.

How the Madonna is presented has changed over the course of 70 years.

(Bild: Kogler Christina Natascha/Christina Natascha Kogler)

"One ship is already full, one is three quarters full. If many more people want to come along, there could be a third ship," says Allmaier. 

70th Marian boat procession

Klagenfurt: From 7.30 p.m. on August 15, the Klagenfurt town band will put the pilgrims in the right musical mood at the landing stage in the east bay. Information on the history of the procession will be given in German, Italian and English. The boats set sail at 8 pm.

Krumpendorf: bouquets of herbs are sold from 7 pm. 7.30 pm: Devotion, blessing of herbs. 8.30 pm: The Marian ship docks. 8.45 pm: Open singing with choirs from Krumpendorf and Agape.

Pörtschach: 7.30 pm: Promenade concert by the St. Marein / Styria brass band in the music pavilion. 9 p.m.: Marian hymns in front of the Parkhotel. 9.15 p.m.: The ship docks. First performance of the Marienlied by Hannes Benedikt.

Velden: 8 p.m.: Beach concert by the Velden Music Society. 22.10: The ship docks.

Maria Wörth: 11.10 p.m.: The Marienschiff docks. 23.20 hrs: Fireworks. 23.30 Return to the east bay. Arrival: midnight.

Tickets (27 euros, seniors 25, young people up to 17 years 23, children up to 13 years 13 euros) at the office of the cathedral parish in Lidmanskygasse 14 or online at www.wsg.co.at/webshop

Information also available at www.kath-kirche-kaernten.at/msp

Initially, lower deck seats were sold, but if the weather forecast is good, the upper deck seats will also be offered.